On Oct. 6, Albanian Appeals Court Judge Astrit Kalaja was shot inside the Tirana courtroom where he oversaw a property dispute case, according to the International Commission of Jurists. Kalaja died of his wounds, and two others were injured in the shooting. The 30-year-old suspect has been arrested.

Kalaja’s killing quickly became a lightning rod for nationwide dissatisfaction with the Albanian judiciary. 

Former Albanian Ambassador to the United States and the United Nations Agim Nesho told Fox News Digital that reforms implemented almost a decade ago by the European Union and the U.S. were ‘intended to strengthen the rule of law,’ but have been ‘transformed into a political instrument, undermining democratic institutions and concentrating power in the hands of the executive.’

‘As a result,’ Nesho said, ‘the public’s confidence in the justice system has severely eroded, with institutional dysfunction reaching a level where some segments of society feel driven to take justice into their own hands — a dangerous sign of democratic backsliding.’

Opposition Democratic Party leader Sali Berisha told Fox News Digital that Kalaja’s killing was ‘an abominable act and an alarm bell that should not be ignored.’

Berisha said that the ‘evident support that the act has garnered,’ including the creation of a now inactive GoFundMe to support the killer’s legal rights, demonstrates ‘protest against a dysfunctional judiciary, against a corrupt and politicized judicial system.’

Berisha said judicial reforms ‘left the country without a Constitutional Court and without a High Court for more than five years,’ creating a ‘staggering backlog’ of around 200,000 cases. He said that the process of vetting judicial personnel turned into ‘a witch-hunt against magistrates that were perceived [to be] independent or potentially right-leaning.’ According to Berisha, this led to the ‘weaponization of the judiciary against the opposition.’ 

A 2020 report on U.S. assistance to Albania describes American and EU efforts to ‘restore the integrity of the Albanian justice system.’ The report states that USAID assisted the High Court with creating a procedure to manage 72% of its 35,000 backlogged cases. It also stated that 125 of 286 judges and prosecutors put through vetting procedures had ‘been dismissed for unexplained wealth, ties to organized crime, or incompetence,’ while 50 judges chose to resign rather than go through vetting.

Berisha claimed that in the aftermath of reforms, it now takes about 15–20 years for the resolution of legal disputes. ‘Justice delayed is justice denied,’ Berisha said.

Lawyer Besnik Muçi, formerly a prosecutor and a judge in the Constitutional Court of Albania, told Fox News Digital that judicial reforms aimed ‘to establish a credible, fair, independent, professional, service-oriented justice system that is open, accountable and efficient.’ He said that the Albanian justice system ‘has failed in almost all’ parameters. 

Muçi said the courts’ backlog consists of about 150,000 cases. He also noted that the closure of five appeal courts and some district courts has ‘almost blocked the citizens’ access to justice.’ He also explained that most court buildings do not ‘meet…the security conditions and standards necessary.’ 

‘Citizens do not believe in the justice system,’ Muçi said. 

After Kalaja’s murder, the Korça Bar Association and National Bar Association of Albania boycotted court proceedings on Oct. 9 and 10. Korça Bar Association Director Nevzat Tarelli told Albanian news station CNA that Kalaja’s killing highlighted the need for increased security for and trust in judicial personnel. He also said that ‘people who expect justice in a timely manner, if they do not receive it, no longer have faith in justice.’ 

Engjëll Agaçi, general secretary of Albania’s Council of Ministers, did not respond to Fox News Digital’s questions about nationwide discontent with the judiciary or the size of Albania’s court case backlog. 

A State Department spokesperson declined to respond to questions about the success of U.S.-backed judicial reform efforts in Albania or address the issues that Kalaja’s killing has highlighted.

‘We offer our deepest sympathies to the victims of this attack and their families and strongly condemn the use of violence against judges and prosecutors,’ the spokesperson said.

A prominent Hamas leader lost his temper and stormed off from a live interview after being pressed on the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks and the devastating subsequent war in Gaza.

Mousa Abu Marzouk, Hamas’ longtime foreign relations chief and a co-founder of the terror group, tried to justify his organization’s crimes by saying Hamas ‘fulfilled its national duty’ and acted as ‘resistance to occupation’ in an interview on Arabic television. 

The host shot back and questioned whether the Hamas attacks had helped the Palestinian cause and if they had achieved anything meaningful for the Palestinians, according to The Jerusalem Post.

‘Was what you did on Oct. 7 to lead the Palestinians to liberation?’ the host asked in the interview Friday night.

Marzouk, who is based in Qatar and is one of Hamas’s founding members, bristled and insisted the question was disrespectful and that a small group of fighters could never ‘liberate’ Palestine on its own. 

‘No sane person would claim that on Oct. 7, with just a thousand or so fighters, it was possible to liberate Palestine,’ he said.

The journalist then continued, saying, ‘I am asking you the questions that are being asked on the streets of Palestine by the residents of Gaza.’

As the exchange grew tense, Marzouk snapped.

‘These are your questions. Show some respect for yourself. I don’t want to talk to you. I don’t want to see you. Cut it out. Cut it out. Go to hell,’ he said.

Marzouk’s comments, which aired on the Egyptian-based Pan-Arab Al-Ghad’s ‘With Wael,’ quickly spread across social media and came amid growing infighting and turmoil within Hamas as the war comes to an end.

Once seen as a polished Hamas spokesperson, Arab commentators saw his on-air outburst as a signal of a widening rift among the organization’s leadership as Gaza lies in ruins.

Jamal Nazzal, a spokesperson for the Palestinian political and nationalist movement Fatah, slammed Marzouk’s remarks.

Nazzal said his comments were ‘a disgrace that exposes the moral and political bankruptcy of a crumbling group that can no longer look people in the eye,’ according to The Jerusalem Post. 

Earlier this year, Marzouk expressed regret over the Oct. 7 attacks, telling The New York Times he would not have supported the attack if he had known of the havoc it would wreak on Gaza.

‘If it was expected that what happened would happen, there wouldn’t have been Oct. 7,’ he said.

Marzouk has been described in multiple reports as a billionaire, though his exact fortune remains unclear. 

In a statement posted after The New York Times’ story, Hamas said that the comments were ‘incorrect’ and taken out of context.

The Israeli government approved and signed the first phase of the President Donald Trump-brokered ceasefire deal in Gaza overnight Thursday. The agreement includes the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.

President Donald Trump railed against Democrats over the ongoing government shutdown Saturday, and said he is directing Secretary of War Pete Hegseth to make sure military service members get paid next week. 

‘Chuck Schumer recently said, ‘Every day gets better’ during their Radical Left Shutdown,’ Trump wrote on Truth Social. ‘I DISAGREE! If nothing is done, because of ‘Leader’ Chuck Schumer and the Democrats, our Brave Troops will miss the paychecks they are rightfully due on October 15th.’

He said he had directed Hegseth ‘to use all available funds to get our Troops PAID on October 15th. We have identified funds to do this, and Secretary Hegseth will use them to PAY OUR TROOPS.’

‘I will not allow the Democrats to hold our Military, and the entire Security of our Nation, HOSTAGE, with their dangerous Government Shutdown,’ he added. ‘The Radical Left Democrats should OPEN THE GOVERNMENT, and then we can work together to address Healthcare, and many other things that they want to destroy. Thank you for your attention to this matter!’

The government shut down on Oct. 1, after Democrats and Republicans failed to pass a spending bill to fund the government, with Democrats concerned that expiring Affordable Care Act tax cuts could raise premiums and that Medicaid cuts could leave people without coverage.  

Trump on Monday blamed Democratic lawmakers for the shutdown, saying he’d be ‘happy to work with the Democrats on their failed healthcare policies’ once the government reopens.

‘Democrats have SHUT DOWN the United States government right in the midst of one of the most successful economies, including a record stock market, that our country has ever had,’ Trump wrote on Truth Social. ‘This has sadly affected so many programs, services, and other elements of society that Americans rely on — and it should not have happened.’

‘I am happy to work with the Democrats on their failed healthcare policies, or anything else, but first they must allow our government to re-open,’ he added.

Schumer recently told Punchbowl News: ‘Every day gets better for us,’ regarding the Democrats’ shutdown strategy.

He added, ‘It’s because we’ve thought about this long in advance and we knew that health care would be the focal point on Sept. 30 and we prepared for it … Their whole theory was — threaten us, bamboozle us, and we would submit in a day or two.’

Republicans have blamed Schumer for the shutdown, saying it was meant to appease the Democratic Party’s progressive wing, particularly in his home state as Zohran Mamdani maintains the lead in New York City’s mayoral race and buzz swirls regarding Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., is potentially challenging Schumer in the next primary. She has not formally declared a Senate bid.

‘Chuck Schumer just said the quiet part out loud: Democrats are gleefully inflicting pain on the American people over their push to give illegal aliens free health care,’ White House deputy press secretary Abigail Jackson said in a statement provided exclusively to Fox News Digital. 

Schumer recently shared with Fox News Digital remarks he made on the Senate floor. 

‘Every day that Republicans refuse to negotiate to end this shutdown, the worse it gets for Americans — and the clearer it becomes who’s fighting for them. Each day our case to fix healthcare and end this shutdown gets better and better, stronger and stronger because families are opening their letters showing how high their premiums will climb if Republicans get their way. They’re seeing why this fight matters — it’s about protecting their healthcare, their bank accounts and their futures.’

Two years ago, I was kidnapped by Boko Haram. They held me captive, and every day I prayed that I would see my family again. By a miracle of God, I was able to escape. 

Sadly, most Christians who are captured by this terrible organization never live to tell their stories. And unless the West intervenes, kidnappings like mine — as well as killings — will only increase in my country, spread across the African continent and threaten the rest of the world. 

Today, as I travel throughout Nigeria providing relief as part of my work with iReach Global, I see that the violence has only grown—spreading like wildfire across the middle of my country, leaving behind a trail of ashes, mass graves and shattered lives. 

This year has brought wave after wave of coordinated attacks in Central Nigeria. More than 7,000 Christians have been killed. Entire villages — most of them Christian farming communities — were razed. Families now live in makeshift camps, traumatized and uncertain if they’ll ever return home. 

In early April, multiple coordinated assaults in the Bokkos area claimed hundreds of lives within a week. One community alone reported 52 deaths in a single attack, with thousands forced to flee. 

Later that month, in an area called Bassa, at least 51 people were slaughtered in a pre-dawn raid. The attackers came silently, setting homes ablaze and killing entire families as they slept. In Riyom, ambushes and targeted killings continued for months afterward. In one case, a bus full of passengers was stopped and attacked — 12 people killed on the spot. 

These are not random acts of violence. They are systematic, coordinated attempts to erase Christian communities from the region. 

As someone who has walked through burned villages and prayed with survivors, I can tell you the reality is even worse than the statistics suggest. I’ve seen mothers weeping beside mass graves. The smell of smoke from the smoldering remains of churches and schools still clings to my clothes. I’ve also spoken with children who no longer sleep through the night because they fear the next attack will come for them. 

This is not simply a matter of ‘clashes’ between farmers and herders, as government officials sometimes claim. It is a campaign of terror. It’s ethnic and religious cleansing disguised as conflict over land. 

And yet, the Nigerian government continues to downplay the crisis — failing to provide protection, food or medical care to the displaced. Some local leaders even warn communities not to speak to the media. But silence will not save us. 

I’ve seen mothers weeping beside mass graves. The smell of smoke from the smoldering remains of churches and schools still clings to my clothes.

The Nigerian government bears the primary responsibility to protect its people. That must begin with immediate and adequately resourced security deployments to protect vulnerable communities — especially during planting and harvest seasons when farmers are most exposed. Humanitarian corridors must be opened to deliver food and aid to thousands now living in desperate conditions. 

Independent investigations are also essential. Impunity is the oxygen that fuels these killings. Perpetrators must be identified and prosecuted—no matter their political connections or tribal affiliations. 

At the same time, Nigeria’s political class must stop turning our suffering into campaign slogans. I’ve heard politicians invoke the blood of victims as talking points during election campaigns while refusing to act. This must end. The lives of our people are not bargaining chips. 

The United States and other Western nations cannot look away. They have both the moral obligation and the diplomatic tools to press Nigeria toward real accountability. I believe the U.S. State Department must reinstate Nigeria’s designation as a Country of Particular Concern for egregious violations of religious freedom. This would send a clear signal to my government that the world is watching, and the killing of Christians in Nigeria will not be ignored. 

In addition, international partners should expand support for independent investigations and humanitarian assistance. I have visited many of these camps; the needs are immense. In some camps, families survive on one meal a day, drinking from muddy puddles, with no one to treat their wounds. Children go months without schooling. The international community can help fund the rebuilding of homes and provide psychosocial support for those who have endured unspeakable loss. 

The victims of these attacks are not soldiers or combatants. They are farmers, families, children and elders. They want nothing more than to live in peace, tend their fields and worship freely. Yet they have become targets of a campaign of hate. 

If urgent action is not taken, we risk watching entire Christian communities vanish from Nigeria’s Middle Belt. Not only that, but the reign of terror will continue to grow across the Sahel region of Africa and could ultimately threaten global security. 

And the silence of the world will be remembered as complicity. 

As someone who has survived the terror of Boko Haram and now witnesses this unfolding genocide, I plead with the global community: Do not look away. The suffering here is real, and it is growing. 

Nigeria is bleeding. But it does not have to be this way. With courage and help from the international community, we can still stop the slaughter and begin the long work of rebuilding. 

White House Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Scavino is poised to play an even larger role in President Donald Trump’s administration, the president announced Sunday.

Trump says Scavino, in addition to his current role, will now lead the White House Presidential Personnel Office. The office was previously held by Sergio Gor, who is now transitioning to become the U.S. Ambassador to India.

‘I am pleased to announce that the great Dan Scavino, in addition to remaining Deputy Chief of Staff of the Trump Administration, will head the White House Presidential Personnel Office, replacing Sergio Gor, who did a wonderful job in that position, and will now become the Ambassador to India,’ Trump wrote on Truth Social.

‘Dan will be responsible for the selection and appointment of almost all positions in government, a very big and important position. Congratulations Dan, you will do a fantastic job!’ he added.

Scavino’s new appointment comes as the Trump administration is in a pitched fight with Democrats to define the cause of the ongoing government shutdown.

Trump allies have pointed to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s refusal to work with Republicans.

The president also sought to mitigate damage on Saturday by ordering War Secretary Pete Hegseth to make sure military service members get paid next week, regardless of the shutdown.

‘Chuck Schumer recently said, ‘Every day gets better’ during their Radical Left Shutdown,’ Trump wrote on Truth Social. ‘I DISAGREE! If nothing is done, because of ‘Leader’ Chuck Schumer and the Democrats, our Brave Troops will miss the paychecks they are rightfully due on October 15th.’

He said he directed Hegseth ‘to use all available funds to get our Troops PAID on October 15th. We have identified funds to do this, and Secretary Hegseth will use them to PAY OUR TROOPS.’

The government shut down on Oct. 1, after Democrats and Republicans failed to pass a spending bill to fund the government, with Democrats concerned expiring Affordable Care Act tax cuts could raise premiums and that Medicaid cuts could leave people without coverage.

Fox News’ Brie Stimson contributed to this report

Now that Israel and Hamas have agreed to a ceasefire and hostage deal, the White House is shifting focus to its next diplomatic goal: expanding the landmark Abraham Accords, which normalized relations between Israel and several Arab states.

‘There’s a lot of positive momentum that will pick up,’ a senior administration official told reporters Thursday evening after the deal was signed. ‘Hopefully this will lead to much better sentiment and the opportunity to expand the Abraham Accords — to really just change the tone in the region.’

During President Donald Trump’s first administration, the accords brought the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco into normal relations with Israel. Saudi Arabia had been next on the list.

‘We passed on to the Biden administration that Saudi was ready to go if they engaged,’ said the official. ‘A deal could have been done in six months. We outlined the parameters of their interests and wished them luck. But they didn’t focus on that for a couple of years. Then a lot happened in the region — October 7 and the war in Gaza created a black cloud and shifted sentiment. The mood today is certainly better than it was even a few days ago.’

An official pointed to a range of countries that could be next in line for normalization. ‘I think there’s a lot of opportunity to get back to work on Saudi-Israel normalization, and on Indonesia-Israel,’ the official said. ‘We were talking with Mauritania last time. You’ve got Algeria, Syria, Lebanon. There’s a whole host of countries — and now there are more formal relations with Qatar. We’re going to start that trilateral mechanism very soon.’

Israel began drawing down its troop presence in Gaza on Friday under phase one of the agreement but will continue to occupy roughly 53% of the territory until the next phase. Hamas has 72 hours to release the remaining hostages, living and dead.

Roughly 200 U.S. troops already stationed in the Middle East will be sent to Israel to oversee the ceasefire and ensure humanitarian aid flows into Gaza. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt emphasized ‘Up to 200 U.S. personnel, who are already stationed at CENTCOM, will be tasked with monitoring the peace agreement in Israel, and they will work with other international forces on the ground.’

Saudi Arabia has long insisted that normalization with Israel must be tied to tangible progress toward Palestinian statehood — though that condition has never been clearly defined. The kingdom is also seeking a formal U.S. defense assurance as part of any broader regional deal.

The U.S.-brokered 20-point ceasefire proposal stops short of guaranteeing Palestinian statehood but suggests that, as Gaza reconstruction proceeds and the Palestinian Authority reasserts control in the enclave, ‘the conditions may finally be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood, which we recognize as the aspiration of the Palestinian people.’

An administration official acknowledged that the agreement remains fragile and that deep mistrust persists between Israel, Hamas and other Arab governments.

‘It was important for [Trump] to send another message to the Arab mediators — and through them to Hamas,’ the official said. ‘He wanted them to know he was standing behind every principle and aspect of the Trump 20-point plan for peace, guaranteeing that everyone involved would act in good faith and keep their commitments.’

‘There’s just a lot of mistrust between the Israelis and Hamas, and also among some of the other Arab governments,’ the official added. ‘For all the obvious reasons.’

Rep. Mike Collins, R-Ga., launched a digital ad on Friday tying Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., to the ongoing government shutdown — and its drag on Georgia’s airports.

‘Flights DELAYED. Military families NOT getting paid. And for what? To demand FREE healthcare of illegal immigrants,’ the graphic reads.

Collins, who has represented Georgia’s 10th Congressional District since 2023, is running to take Ossoff’s seat in 2026.  

His ad marks the most recent attempt by Republicans to tie Democrats to the government’s shutdown and highlight its impact on both the national and local levels.

‘Crucial air traffic controllers are working without pay, travelers are facing delays, and government workers face uncertainty because Ossoff and Schumer are playing political games with our government. It’s time to stop the charade and end the shutdown now,’ Collins said in a statement to FOX.

The government entered a shutdown on Oct. 1 after lawmakers failed to reach an agreement over federal spending to begin the 2026 fiscal year. Last month, Republicans in the House of Representatives advanced a spending extension to cover the government’s costs through Nov. 21. 

But that legislation has stalled in the Senate, where Democrats are demanding that any spending package also include an extension of COVID-era subsidies for Obamacare health insurance premiums that are set expire at the end of the year.

Republicans, who hold 53 seats in the Senate, need the support of at least seven Democrats to clear the 60-vote threshold needed to overcome a filibuster. 

The Senate has voted on a spending extension seven times as of Friday. Ossoff, the target of Collin’s ad, has voted alongside his Democratic colleagues against the short-term spending extension on each occasion.

Senators left Washington, D.C., on Thursday afternoon and are not expected to resume votes on government spending until next week.

With the stalemate having entered its 10th day, many essential government workers who have been asked to work without pay, will soon begin to miss paychecks. 

Georgia is home to over 110,000 government workers.

Collins noted that airline employees, such as TSA agents, are among those who have no choice but to work because of their critical role. That, Collins argued, has compounded a shortage of traffic controllers, leading to flight delays. 

According to Flight Aware, an online flight-tracking service, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport had 426 flight delays on Thursday with nine cancellations.

Ossoff won election to the Senate in 2020, beating out Republican challenger David Perdue in a narrow 50.6% – 49.4% victory. His office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said a ‘coward hiding behind a keyboard’ was arrested this week for allegedly sending a threatening letter to conservative influencer Benny Johnson in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s assassination. 

George Isbell Jr., 69, was taken into custody on Tuesday in San Diego, California. He will be federally charged with mailing a threatening communication, according to Bondi. On his website, Johnson said he resides in Tampa, Florida, where the announcement of the arrest was made Friday.

‘Benny is a well-known media personality, carrying a message very similar to Charlie’s. Grounded largely in faith and love of country. Just days after Charlie’s assassination, Benny received a letter at his home where he and Kate are raising their beautiful, beautiful young family,’ Bondi said. ‘The author of this letter made it very clear that he hated Benny because of his views, and he wanted Benny dead.’ 

‘This was a coward hiding behind a keyboard who thought he could get away with this. That’s why we’re standing up here today. You are not going to get away with threatening people in this way. And I’m proud to announce that we have arrested the author of this letter,’ Bondi added. 

She said earlier that, ‘we’ve been living through a horrific cycle of political violence in this country.’ 

‘We are going to catch you if you think you can do something like this,’ Bondi declared. ‘We don’t care if you’re across the country in California, we will find you. We will arrest you, we will extradite you, and we will bring you to justice. We cannot allow this political violence to continue any longer. This arrest will serve as a reminder to many — do not do this. We will find you.’ 

U.S. Attorney Gregory Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida told reporters Friday that Johnson ‘immediately contacted’ the Tampa Police Department after receiving the letter. The FBI and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement assisted in the investigation, while the U.S. Postal Service determined the letter originated from San Diego, California, Kehoe added. 

Fingerprints that were obtained from the letter led investigators to Isbell, according to Kehoe. 

‘According to the complaint, on or about Sept. 18, Isbell mailed a letter from San Diego threatening to injure his victim, a media personality located in Tampa, Florida, and telling his victim that the victim needed ‘to be exterminated,’’ the Justice Department said in a statement Friday.

‘In the letter, he referenced one of the victim’s friends, Mr. Charlie Kirk, a conservative political activist who had recently been killed during a public engagement on a college campus. After writing that he hoped that the American flag ‘strangles the life out of you,’ the letter went on to state: ‘Maybe someone will blow your head off!!! We can hope! Planning any public engagements? Love to see your head explode and your blood stain the concrete red. What a sight!’’ the Justice Department added.

If convicted, Isbell could face a maximum sentence of five years.

Johnson told Fox News Digital on Friday afternoon, ‘The major question here is, how many of us need to die? And, you know, until people take it seriously?’

Speaking alongside Bondi in Florida, Johnson said, ‘I don’t want political violence. I want peace in my nation.’ 

‘I love this country. I want to be able to debate like Charlie did. I want to be able to raise my family in peace. That is our birthright. But you cannot make peace with evil as a Christian. You cannot unite with people who want you dead. I want unity in this nation,’ he added. 

Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., declared the House of Representatives out of session for a third straight week in a bid to keep pressure on Senate Democrats in Washington.

The speaker appears to be raising the stakes on lawmakers across the aisle, who keep refusing the GOP’s plan to fund government agencies on a short-term basis in favor of making demands on healthcare that Republicans are calling unreasonable.

The government shutdown is poised to roll into a third week after Senate Democrats sunk the GOP’s federal funding bill seven times, most recently on Thursday.

The House passed the bill on Sept. 19 and has not been in session since. The measure, called a continuing resolution (CR), is aimed at keeping the government funded at current levels through Nov. 21, in order for congressional negotiators to have more time to strike a longer-term deal for fiscal year (FY) 2026.

Democrats, furious at being sidelined in federal funding discussions, have been withholding their support for any spending bill that does not also extend COVID-19 pandemic-era enhanced Obamacare subsidies that are due to expire at the end of this year.

Johnson’s decision was made public on Friday afternoon during a brief pro forma session in the House. Under rules dictated by the Constitution, the chamber must meet for brief periods every few days called ‘pro forma’ sessions to ensure continuity, even if there are no formal legislative matters at hand.

Pro forma sessions can also be opportunities for lawmakers to give brief speeches or introduce legislation that they otherwise would not have. 

Johnson’s decision comes after he canceled votes on Sept. 29 and Sept. 30 in an effort to press the Senate to take up the House’s CR. He canceled votes the following week as well.

The House GOP leader told fellow Republicans on a private call Thursday that he would give them 48 hours’ notice before they needed to return to Washington.

Johnson has suggested multiple times in public and in private that he would reopen the House when Senate Democrats relented on the CR.

In the meantime, he’s asking House Republicans to remain in their districts to drive home the effects of the government shutdown on everyday Americans.

The strategy has gotten pushback from some members of his conference, including those who are pushing for a standalone vote on legislation ensuring the military is paid during the shutdown.

Without action by Congress or the White House, active duty service members who are made to work during the shutdown — as well as others on the federal payroll — are set to miss paychecks on Oct. 15 if the standoff continues.

At least three House Republicans have also suggested they want the House to return to its business next week — Reps. Jay Obernolte, R-Calif., and Julie Fedorchak, R-N.D., said so on the Thursday call, while Rep. Kevin Kiley, R-Calif., made his concerns public on X.

But tensions ran high among the few lawmakers who were in Washington this week, with two Senate Democrats confronting Johnson and Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., getting into a screaming match with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., over Obamacare subsidies.

Asked about the conflicts, Johnson suggested it was part of the reason House lawmakers should remain out of Washington until the shutdown ends.

‘I’m a very patient man. But I am very angry right now because this is dangerous stuff. And so, is it better for them to be physically separated right now? It probably is,’ he said on Thursday.

‘Frankly, I wish that weren’t the case. But we do have to turn the volume down. The best way to turn the volume down is to turn the lights back on and get the government open for the people.’

Venezuelan opposition leader and newly minted Nobel Peace Prize winner María Corina Machado dedicated the award on Friday to both President Donald Trump and the ‘suffering people of Venezuela.’

Machado, a leading figure in the resistance against Venezuela’s ruling party, took to X to acknowledge the honor and to praise Trump for his support.

‘This recognition of the struggle of all Venezuelans is a boost to conclude our task: to conquer Freedom,’ Machado said. ‘We are on the threshold of victory and today, more than ever, we count on President Trump, the people of the United States, the peoples of Latin America, and the democratic nations of the world as our principal allies to achieve Freedom and democracy. 

She added, ‘I dedicate this prize to the suffering people of Venezuela and to President Trump for his decisive support of our cause!’

Machado has previously been outspoken in her support for the Trump administration’s actions against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s regime and the country’s narco-trafficking network.

Last month, following reports that a U.S. strike killed 11 alleged Tren de Aragua narco-terrorists transporting drugs from Venezuela, Machado appeared on ‘Fox & Friends’ to discuss Maduro’s leadership, saying it was time for him ‘to go.’

‘On behalf of the Venezuelan people, I want to tell you how grateful we are to President Trump and the administration for addressing the tragedy that Venezuela is going through,’ Machado said at the time. ‘ … Maduro has turned Venezuela into the biggest threat to the national security of the U.S. and the stability of the region.’

Trump has also been a vocal critic of Maduro, and the U.S. is among several countries that do not recognize Maduro’s government as legitimate, according to Reuters.

In last year’s election, Machado rallied millions of Venezuelans to reject Maduro. She was described as a ‘brave and committed champion of peace’ by Joergen Watne Frydnes, chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee.

‘She is receiving the Nobel Peace Prize for her tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and for her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy,’ Frydnes said.

Trump was also among the contenders for this year’s Nobel Peace Prize, awarded annually to an individual or organization that has made significant contributions to global peace, in the wake of his brokering a historic deal between Israel and Hamas. 

Fox News Digital’s Rachel Wolf and Elizabeth Pritchett contributed to this report.