President Donald Trump on Tuesday announced an agreement between the U.S. and China to keep TikTok operating in the United States, with three sources familiar with the matter saying the deal was similar to one discussed earlier this year.
The agreement requires TikTok’s American assets to be transferred to U.S. owners from China’s ByteDance, potentially resolving a saga that has lingered for nearly a year.
A deal for the popular social media app, which counts 170 million U.S. users, would represent a breakthrough in months-long talks between the two biggest economies as they seek to defuse a wide-ranging trade war that has unnerved global markets.
“We have a deal on TikTok … We have a group of very big companies that want to buy it,” Trump said at a White House briefing, without providing further details. The announcement comes a day before a September 17 deadline to sell or shut down the short video app.
The basics of the new deal, also similar to April, include that ByteDance will keep the single largest ownership stake at 19.9%, just under the law’s 20% threshold, two of the sources said.
While the broad terms are expected to remain the same, the sources did say they do not know what the final deal would exactly look like, given the potential for last-minute changes.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told CNBC on Tuesday the commercial terms of the deal had, in essence, been done since around March with just a few details left to be ironed out.
“This deal wouldn’t be done without proper safeguards for U.S. national security,” Bessent said. “It seems as though we were also able to meet the Chinese interest.”
CNBC reported Tuesday that the deal is expected to be closed within the next 30 to 45 days, and that the agreement will include existing investors in TikTok’s China-based parent, ByteDance, and new investors.
The details are in line with Reuters’ reporting in April that the deal would spin off TikTok’s U.S. operations into a new company based in the U.S. and majority-owned and operated by U.S. investors.
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Any agreement may require approval by the Republican-controlled Congress, which passed a law in 2024 during the Biden Administration that required TikTok’s divestiture due to fears that its U.S. user data could be accessed by the Chinese government, allowing Beijing to spy on Americans or conduct influence operations through the app.
The Trump administration has declined to enforce the law due to worries it would anger TikTok’s huge user base and disrupt political communications, instead extending the divestiture deadline on three separate occasions.
Trump, who has credited TikTok with helping him win re-election last year and has 15 million followers on his personal account, was expected to extend the deadline for the fourth time. The White House also launched an official TikTok account last month.
TARIFFS AND TIKTOK
A deal for TikTok, which had been in the works in the spring, was put on hold after China indicated it would not approve it following Trump’s announcements of tariffs on Chinese goods.
Washington has said that TikTok’s ownership by ByteDance makes it beholden to the Chinese government.
But the company has said U.S. officials have misstated its ties to China, arguing its content recommendation engine and user data are stored in the U.S. on cloud servers operated by Oracle, while content moderation decisions that affect American users are also made in the U.S.
CNBC reported on Tuesday that Oracle will keep its cloud deal with TikTok. Reuters reported earlier this year that the White House was working on a plan to tap Oracle, along with a group of outside investors, to control the app’s operations.
As part of the plan, Oracle would have been responsible for addressing national security issues, Reuters had reported.
Oracle shares pared some gains on Tuesday following the news and were last up 1%.
A framework agreement was reached by officials from both countries on Monday. A final confirmation on the deal is expected on Friday in a call between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Trump said in March that his administration was in touch with four different groups on TikTok’s sale. Microsoft, Amazon, billionaire Frank McCourt and a consortium led by OnlyFans founder have been among the bidders, according to reports.
PROVO, Utah, Sept 16 (Reuters) – The trade school student suspected of assassinating right-wing political activist Charlie Kirk at a Utah university was due in court on Tuesday to face formal charges, appearing by video feed from jail for his first public appearance since the shooting.
Tyler Robinson, 22, is accused of firing the single rifle shot from a rooftop sniper’s nest that pierced Kirk’s neck last Wednesday on the campus of Utah Valley University in Orem, about 40 miles (65 km) south of Salt Lake City.
The killing, captured in graphic video clips that went viral on the internet, sparked denunciations of political violence across the ideological spectrum but also unleashed a wave of partisan blame-casting and concerns that Kirk’s murder might beget more bloodshed.
Authorities have offered no possible motive for the killing, though Kirk’s wife and other supporters were quick to cast him as a martyr for their cause.
Kirk, co-founder and head of the conservative student movement Turning Point USA and a key ally of President Donald Trump, was speaking at an event attended by 3,000 people when he was gunned down. He died later at a hospital. He was 31.
The suspect, a third-year student of an electrical apprenticeship at a state technical college, initially escaped in the pandemonium following the shooting.
He was arrested on Thursday night at his parents’ house, some 260 miles (420 km) southwest of the crime scene, after relatives and a family friend alerted authorities that Robinson had implicated himself in the shooting, according to Governor Spencer Cox.
Robinson was booked into Utah County Jail on suspicion of aggravated murder, a felony weapons offense, and obstruction of justice, according to an affidavit filed by investigators.
Cox said the state would be inclined to seek the death penalty should Robinson be convicted, but that prosecutors would consider the wishes of Kirk’s family before making that decision.
The killing has unnerved Americans who have seen a spike in political violence in recent years, including two attempted assassinations of Trump last year and the assassination of a Democratic state lawmaker in Minnesota this summer, among many other high-profile examples.
Roughly two out of three Americans believe that harsh rhetoric common in politics is encouraging violence, according to a Reuters/Ipsos pollconducted in the days following Kirk’s murder.
FIRST NEW GLIMPSE OF SUSPECT
Robinson was scheduled to appear via video feed from jail on Tuesday afternoon in Utah County Justice Court in Provo.
The Utah County district attorney planned to hold a news briefing to explain the charges a few hours before the hearing. Newly filed court documents accompanying the charges may contain additional information about evidence in the investigation.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said the Department of Justice would review the case separately to determine whether federal charges should be pursued.
“And of course, if we do, we will also indict and work hand-in-hand with the state to ensure that this horrible human being faces the maximum extent of the law,” Bondi told Fox News on Monday.
The governor said on Friday that in addition to the role played by Robinson’s own family in turning him in, investigators had linked the suspect to the crime through security camera footage and evidence gathered from his social media profile.
On Monday, FBI Director Kash Patel went further in a Fox News interview, saying investigators had uncovered a text message posted by Robinson before last Wednesday’s shooting saying he planned to kill Kirk.
Separately, the Washington Post reported on Monday that Robinson had sent a message via the online platform Discord to friends apparently confessing to the crime on Thursday night, shortly before he was arrested.
Patel said Robinson also is believed to have written a physical note saying he had the “opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk” and would do so. Although that note was destroyed, investigators have collected forensic evidence that it existed and confirmed its contents through interviews, Patel said.
Patel did not say who had received the text message or whether anyone had seen the written note before the attack.
Investigators have spoken to Robinson’s roommate, who was also a romantic partner, officials have said. Cox described the roommate as “a male transitioning to female,” and said the roommate has been “incredibly cooperative.”
Reuters has not been able to locate the roommate, or representatives for the roommate, to seek comment.
Law enforcement authorities have said they believe Robinson acted alone but are looking into whether anyone else had a hand in plotting the killing or knew in advance of Robinson’s intentions.
Patel told Fox News that DNA matching the suspect’s was found on a towel that was wrapped around the bolt-action rifle believed to be the murder weapon and on a screwdriver found on the rooftop used by the shooter as a sniper perch.
A judge in New York State dismissed two terrorism charges against Luigi Mangione, the alleged killer of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
However, Judge Gregory Carro during a hearing on Tuesday morning ruled a charge of second-degree murder against Mangione could stand.
He said prosecutors had failed to establish that there was enough evidence to justify the terrorism-related murder charges that they sought against Mangione.
Mangione is accused of gunning down Thompson on a busy Manhattan street in December last year.
In a written ruling, Carro said that the allegations against Mangione did not meet the definition of terrorism under state law.
Although prosecutors argued that writings left by Mangione demonstrated a terrorism motive, the judge said they failed to show that the suspect intended to put political pressure on the government or terrorise the general population – key provisions of New York’s terrorism law which was passed in the wake of the 11 September 2001 attacks.
“There was no evidence presented that the defendant made any demands of government or sought any particular governmental policy change, let alone that he did so by intimidation or coercion,” Carro wrote in his ruling.
The first-degree murder charge that was dismissed would have carried a maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.
If convicted of the remaining second-degree murder charge, Mangione faces a minimum sentence of 15 to 25 years in prison. He has also been charged with weapons and forgery crimes.
The man accused of fatally shooting conservative activist Charlie Kirk appears to have confessed to friends in a private online chat shortly before surrendering to law enforcement, The Washington Post reported Monday.
Kirk, 31, was fatally shot on Sept. 10 while addressing a group of students at Utah Valley University in the city of Orem, some 40 miles (64.4 kilometers) south of Salt Lake City. Tyler Robinson, 22, was arrested over the death of the right-wing influencer.
“Hey guys, I have bad news for you all,” said a message from an account belonging to Robinson on the online platform Discord.
“It was me at UVU yesterday. I’m sorry for all of this,” he wrote, according to the Post, which cited two people familiar with the chat.
According to the report, the message was sent Thursday night, about two hours before officials said Robinson was taken into custody.
The message was sent from Robinson’s account to a small private group of online friends, the person said on condition of anonymity.
Discord is working closely with the FBI and local authorities, providing information about Robinson’s online activities on the platform, the person added, according to the report.
The Discord conversation shared with the Post shows members of the group chat reacting to Kirk’s shooting Wednesday — before the news broke that Robinson was allegedly involved.
The group included about 30 people, according to the person who provided screenshots to the newspaper.
“Charlie Kirk got shot,” one friend wrote Wednesday afternoon, according to an image of the messages.
“I just saw the video holy s—,” another user wrote about an hour and a half later, adding about Kirk: “Bro didn’t deserve to go out like that sad.”
The only response from Robinson’s account came Thursday with the message announcing “bad news.”
“I’m surrendering through a sheriff friend in a few moments,” the message, posted at 7.57 pm local time in Utah, continued. “Thanks for all the good times and laughs, you’ve all been so amazing, thank you all for everything.”
FBI Director Kash Patel said Monday that DNA evidence collected from the scene of Kirk’s killing matches the suspect currently in custody.
Patel stressed that the FBI investigation remains ongoing, with agents continuing to interview witnesses and analyze forensic material, including cell phone data and DNA samples. Findings are being shared with local and federal prosecutors for charging decisions, he said.
Donald Trump has announced he’s suing The New York Times, just days after he threatened to do so over its reporting into his ties to Jeffrey Epstein.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, the US president said he had “the Great Honor of bringing a $15bn Defamation and Libel Lawsuit” against “one of the worst and most degenerate newspapers in the History of our Country”.
Mr Trump’s lengthy post – made late on Monday – is focused on his belief the outlet is bias towards the Democrats, citing the endorsement of Kamala Harris in last year’s presidential election.
It has “been allowed to freely lie, smear, and defame me for far too long”, he added.
The lawsuit – which has been brought in Florida – comes after Mr Trump raised the prospect of suing the newspaper last week for publishing articles about alleged notes he had sent Epstein.
He dismissed the reporting as false.
A lewd birthday message Trump allegedly sent to the convicted sex offender for his 50th birthday in 2003 was published by the US Congress days later.
The pages are contained in files from the estate of the deceased billionaire paedophile, handed over to a Congressional committee.
The collection of birthday tributes include a hand-drawing of a woman’s body, signed “Donald”. They also contain a picture of Epstein holding an outsized cheque, signed by “DJTRUMP”.
Mr Trump has maintained the note wasn’t written by him, claiming the handwriting and signature do not match his own.
An alleged note written by Trump for Epstein. Pics: US Congress/NBC News
The “birthday book” also included notes from former British minister Peter Mandelson, who has been sacked as the UK’s ambassador to the US over revelations about his relationship with Epstein.
Mr Trump has repeatedly denied any impropriety involving Epstein, whom he once counted as a friend.
Handwriting expert analyses signature on Epstein card
Responding to his initial threat to sue, a spokeswoman for The New York Times said last week: “Our journalists reported the facts, provided the visual evidence and printed the president’s denial. It’s all there for the American people to see and to make up their own minds about.
“We will continue to pursue the facts without fear or favour and stand up for journalists’ First Amendment right to ask questions on behalf of the American people.”
The United States announced Monday a “framework” deal with China to resolve their dispute over TikTok that calls for the Chinese-owned app to pass to US-controlled ownership.
In a social media post, US President Donald Trump said – without directly naming the social media giant – that a deal was reached with a “certain company that young people in our Country very much wanted to save. They will be very happy!”
Trump added on his Truth Social network that he would speak to Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced the agreement after a second day of talks with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng in Madrid, which also includes discussions about the wider US-China trade dispute.
“We have a framework for a TikTok deal,” Bessent told reporters, adding it calls for the app “to switch to US-controlled ownership”.
“It’s between two private parties, but the commercial terms have been agreed upon,” he said.
Bessent declined to give further details, saying Trump and Xi will speak on Friday to “complete” the agreement.
TikTok – which boasts almost two billion global users – is owned by China-based internet company ByteDance.
A federal law requiring TikTok’s sale or ban on national security grounds was due to take effect the day before US President Donald Trump’s inauguration on January 20.
But the Republican, whose 2024 election campaign relied heavily on social media and who has said he is fond of TikTok, put the ban on pause.
In mid-June, Trump extended a deadline for the popular video-sharing app by another 90 days to find a non-Chinese buyer or be banned in the United States. That extension is due to expire on Wednesday.
‘Questions unanswered’
While Trump had long supported a ban or divestment, he reversed his position and vowed to defend the platform after coming to believe it helped him win young voters’ support in the November election.
Sarah Kreps of Cornell University’s Tech Policy Institute warned “national security questions remain unanswered”, noting the deal leaves data and algorithm safeguards unclear.
The talks in Madrid also cover Trump’s threat of steep tariffs on Chinese imports.
In his Truth Social post on Monday, Trump said the meeting in Europe “has gone VERY WELL!” and added: “The relationship remains a very strong one!!!”
Trade tensions escalated sharply earlier this year, with tit-for-tat tariffs reaching triple digits and snarling supply chains.
Both governments later agreed to lower their punitive tariffs, with the United States imposing 30 percent duties on imports of Chinese goods and China hitting US products with a 10 percent levy, but the temporary truce expires in November.
The US-China trade truce has been an uneasy one, with Washington accusing Beijing of violating their agreement and slow-walking export license approvals for rare earths, key materials for the automotive, electronics and defence industries.
Nvidia probe
China on Saturday launched two investigations into the US semiconductor sector.
Beijing opened an anti-dumping probe into some integrate circuit chips originating from the United States, its commerce ministry said in a statement.
The ministry also said in a separate statement it will launch an investigation into whether the United States had discriminated against the Chinese chip sector.
And on Monday China said an investigation found US chip giant Nvidia had run afoul of the country’s antitrust rules, and vowed an additional probe.
The statement did not provide further details about Nvidia‘s alleged legal violations or the further probe.
Beijing – which announced the investigation in December – is currently engaged in an intense contest with the United States for supremacy in the critical field of semiconductors.
Top diplomats and defence chiefs from both nations held back-to-back phone calls last week, which analysts said could mark a step towards a meeting between Trump and Xi.
Robinson’s own family tipped off authorities through a minister connected to law enforcement. According to President Trump, Robinson later drove into a police station voluntarily, effectively confirming suspicions about his involvement.
A Family Dinner Confession
Just a day before the shooting, Robinson told his family during dinner that Charlie Kirk was “spreading hate.” He specifically mentioned Kirk’s upcoming event at Utah Valley University, suggesting that he had already fixated on the target.
The Suspect’s Growing Resentment
Investigators believe Robinson harbored long-standing anger toward Kirk’s rhetoric. His remarks to family members pointed to deep ideological opposition, with law enforcement noting that the word “hate” repeatedly came up in his conversations.
The Chilling Execution
On September 10, Robinson allegedly climbed a rooftop across from Kirk’s event at UVU. From 200 yards away, he fired a single, precise shot with a high-powered rifle, striking Kirk in the neck as he debated under a tent before 3,000 attendees.
Mugshot of Charlie Kirk shooting suspect Tyler Robinson, 22, released. Utah Governor’s Office
The Chilling Execution
On September 10, Robinson allegedly climbed a rooftop across from Kirk’s event at UVU. From 200 yards away, he fired a single, precise shot with a high-powered rifle, striking Kirk in the neck as he debated under a tent before 3,000 attendees.
A Rifle Left Behind
Authorities later recovered a Mauser .30-06 bolt-action rifle wrapped in a towel along the suspected escape route. Forensic experts found fingerprints and ballistic matches, linking the weapon directly to Robinson.
Surveillance Images Expose Him
FBI-released surveillance footage showed a dark-clad, college-aged male fleeing across rooftops and backyards after the shot. Thousands of tips poured in after the images were made public, narrowing down the suspect pool.
The Arrest That Ended The Hunt
Robinson’s own family tipped off authorities through a minister connected to law enforcement. According to President Trump, Robinson later drove into a police station voluntarily, effectively confirming suspicions about his involvement.
Political Shockwaves Nationwide
Kirk’s assassination sent shockwaves across the country. Vigils were held in multiple states, and President Trump called Kirk “a great guy from top to bottom,” demanding the death penalty if Robinson is convicted.
Investigation Into Deeper Motives
While the family’s testimony points to Robinson’s disdain for Kirk’s rhetoric, the FBI is still probing whether external influences or networks played a role. Officials stress that the motive is clearer now, but the case remains active.
WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said Saturday he was ready to sanction Moscow, but on the condition that all NATO allies agree to completely halt purchases of Russian oil and implement their own sanctions.
He also suggested members of the transatlantic alliance consider slapping tariffs of 50 percent to 100 percent on China as a way to help end Russia’s war in Ukraine.
“I am ready to do major Sanctions on Russia when all NATO Nations have agreed, and started, to do the same thing, and when all NATO Nations STOP BUYING OIL FROM RUSSIA,” Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform, which he described as a letter to all NATO nations and the world.
Trump has repeatedly threatened Russia with additional sanctions — including last weekend after the Kremlin unleashed its biggest-ever aerial barrage against Ukraine — as a way to hit at revenue Moscow needs for its grinding war.
But so far he has failed to follow through, frustrating Kyiv.
The president, who met his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin last month at a summit in Alaska, branded NATO nations’ purchase of Russian oil “shocking” and said it weakens their bargaining power over Moscow.
“Anyway, I am ready to ‘go’ when you are. Just say when?“
Trump also raised the prospect of NATO imposing tariffs on China, which is believed to have boosted strategic cooperation with Moscow and held a high-profile summit with Putin recently in Beijing.
“I believe that (NATO sanctions on Russia), plus NATO, as a group, placing 50 percent to 100 percent TARIFFS ON CHINA, to be fully withdrawn after the WAR with Russia and Ukraine is ended, will also be of great help in ENDING this deadly, but RIDICULOUS, WAR,” Trump said.
“China has a strong control, and even grip, over Russia, and these powerful Tariffs will break that grip.”
If the 32-member alliance “does as I say, the WAR will end quickly,” Trump said. “If not, you are just wasting my time.”
Charlie Kirk’s widow, Erika, has given a tearful address in which she thanked first responders for trying to save her husband’s life after he was fatally shot on a Utah university campus.
In a livestream, standing beside her husband’s empty chair that he used during podcast tapings, she quoted the Bible and spoke about his love for President Donald Trump, Vice-President JD Vance, the United States and the couple’s two children.
Kirk, a right-wing activist, was shot dead on Wednesday during an open-air speaking event in Orem, Utah. His suspected killer, Tyler Robinson, was arrested on Thursday night after surrendering to police.
In her remarks, Mrs Kirk pledged: “My husband’s voice will remain.”
The broadcast from Turning Point USA’s headquarters in Arizona began with several minutes of silence, as the camera framed Charlie Kirk’s empty chair.
As his widow started speaking, she looked upwards and whispered a silent prayer.
She then thanked first responders who tried to save him, her husband’s staff, and the White House.
“Mr President, my husband loved you. And he knew that you loved him too,” she said tearfully, also thanking Vance and his wife Usha for accompanying the casket back to Arizona.
“But most of all, Charlie loved his children. And he loved me. With all his heart. And he made sure I knew that everyday.”
Erika Kirk holds hands with Second Lady Usha Vance as they arrive in Arizona on Air Force Two
Addressing “evil-doers”, Mrs Kirk said: “You have no idea the fire that you have ignited within this wife, the cries of this widow will echo around the world like a battle cry.
“They should all know this: if you thought that my husband’s mission was powerful before you have no idea, you have no idea what you just have unleashed across this entire country and this world.”
Her husband’s tour of US university campuses will continue throughout the autumn, and in the years to come, she said, without offering further details. His podcast will also continue.
Mrs Kirk also spoke of their one-year-old son and three-year-old daughter, saying that she was at a loss for how to explain their father’s sudden death.
“Baby, daddy loves you so much. Don’t you worry. He’s on a work trip with Jesus,” she told their daughter.
Mrs Kirk, 36, and their children were reportedly in the audience when her husband was shot.
Erika Kirk is a businesswoman and former Miss Arizona USA winner, who met her husband in 2018. The couple were engaged by 2020 and wed less than a year later.
She is currently studying for a doctorate in Bible studies, has launched a ministry programme and hosts the Midweek Rise Up podcast focused on Biblical leadership. Mrs Kirk also acts and models, and has a faith-based clothing line.
Although the children and the couple’s home life are regular fixtures on her social media pages, they never publish images showing their children’s faces.
Charlie Kirk, 31, a controversial figure in US political discourse, had been hailed by many as the future of American conservatism with a knack for energising young conservatives.
By mobilising the youth vote, he was an instrumental organiser in Trump’s Maga coalition and helped return him to the White House for a second term.
Kirk was a strong supporter of gun rights, vehemently opposed abortion, was critical of transgender rights and promoted false claims about Covid-19.
His views were polarising on the college campuses, where he held large events, and his provocative speeches would draw crowds of vocal opponents as well as fans.
Kirk’s supporters said he was relatable and understood their concerns. But his views drew fierce liberal criticism, with his detractors said his rhetoric hurt people – especially those in the LGBT community.
Kirk was speaking at Utah Valley University during Turning Point USA’s The American Comeback Tour, a speaking engagement that took him to several college campuses throughout the US.
He was shot during his viral Prove Me Wrong debate while taking a question about gun violence and transgender people in the US.
Trump has announced that he will award Kirk a posthumous Presidential Medal of Freedom – the highest civilian honour a president can bestow – describing his friend and ally as a “giant of his generation and a champion of liberty”.
The US president said that Mrs Kirk “is absolutely devastated”.
Turning Point USA, the organisation Charlie Kirk founded when he was 18 years old, also referred to its co-founder as a “martyr” and “pioneer”.
“Charlie was the ideal husband and the perfect father. Above all else, we ask you to pray for the Kirks after the incomprehensible loss they have suffered,” the organisation said in a statement to the BBC on Thursday.
JD Vance flew to Salt Lake City, Utah, on Thursday to retrieve Kirk’s casket and transport it to Phoenix, Arizona – where Kirk’s family lives – on the vice-presidential aircraft, Air Force Two.
Vance and Second Lady Usha Vance travelled with Kirk’s family and some of his friends to Arizona.
Authorities have identified 22-year-old Tyler Robinson as the suspect in Wednesday’s fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, 31, and say he is in custody, ending a nationwide manhunt following the assassination.
Robinson had “become more political in recent years,” Utah Governor Spencer Cox said during a Friday press conference. A family member told officials that Robinson came to dinner on September 10 and “mentioned Charlie Kirk was coming to [Utah Valley University].”
Cox said to the public, “This is certainly about the tragic death and assassination, political assassination of Charlie Kirk. But it is also much bigger than an attack on an individual. It is an attack on all of us. It is an attack on the American experiment. It is an attack on our ideals.”
Cox confirmed that Robinson “was not a student here at UVU” and was “living and has been living for some time with his family in Washington County.”
Mugshot of Charlie Kirk shooting suspect Tyler Robinson, 22, released. Utah Governor’s Office
Since midday Wednesday, authorities had been searching for the shooter, who jumped from a roof and fled after firing at Kirk, according to the FBI. Prior to Robinson’s arrest, two people were briefly detained and then released on Wednesday. Officials received over 11,000 leads and tips on the matter, FBI Director Kash Patel said during a Friday press conference.
Why It Matters
Kirk was the co-founder and executive director of Turning Point USA, a prominent conservative campus organization. He was a frequent political commentator, often speaking on college campuses and hosting media programs and conferences, as well as a close ally of President Donald Trump.
The shooting comes amid a broader climate of political violence across the United States. In June, Minnesota Democratic state Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband were shot and killed in a targeted political act.
Lawmakers and prominent figures across the aisle have condemned the violence, including members of the Trump administration as well as Democrats. Trump has ordered flags to be lowered to half-staff “in honor of Charlie Kirk” until 6 p.m. Sunday. The fatal attack has raised concerns about campus public-safety protocols, political violence, gun control and free speech.
Charlie Kirk Alleged Shooter: What We Know
On Friday morning, authorities publicly identified Robinson, a Utah local, as the suspected shooter, noting that they took him into custody on Thursday night.
Utah Department of Public Safety Commissioner Beau Mason had described the suspect on Thursday as someone who “blended in well with the college institution.”
Newsweek identified Robinson’s mother as Amber Jones Robinson. She has posted several photos of her family, including Tyler, on her personal Facebook page. According to her Facebook page, she attended the University of Utah and is a social worker.
A photo of Tyler Robinson posted on his mother, Amber Jones Robinson’s, Facebook page. Facebook/Amber Jones Robinson
She and Tyler visited Utah State University in 2021.
“It was great to get some one on one time with this boy,” she wrote on Facebook. “Plus Aggie ice cream! I didn’t know that was a thing, but it’s great!”
In 2019, she posted a family photo that included three children and her partner. The family owns a home in Washington, Utah, approximately three and a half hours from Utah Valley University.
A family photo of the Robinsons from 2019 posted on Amber Jones Robinson’s Facebook page. Facebook/ Amber Jones Robinson
Before Robinson’s arrest, authorities had confirmed early Thursday that the suspected shooter was no longer in the wooded area where he had appeared to flee after the shooting. Investigators also had found a high-powered, bolt-action rifle along the suspected escape route.
Trump first said Friday morning during a live interview on Fox & Friends that the individual was turned in by his father and that law enforcement officials would confirm the arrest later in the day.
The FBI’s Salt Lake City field office released photos of the suspect on Thursday and asked the public for help identifying him.
Authorities stated that the suspect allegedly arrived on campus just before noon on Wednesday. Robinson is the third person of interest to have been taken into custody in relation to the shooting. The other two were released shortly after being questioned on Wednesday.
Where Was Charlie Kirk Shot?
Kirk was shot through the neck during a student Q&A at Utah Valley University on Wednesday. Moments before Kirk was shot, he was answering a question about gun violence.
Following the shooting, he was transported to a local hospital and died. His body has been returned to his home state of Arizona and transported to a church ahead of a funeral service.
Several videos posted online show the event, including the moment the shot was fired and the subsequent bloodshed.
Charlie Kirk speaks before he is shot during Turning Point’s visit to Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025. Tess Crowley/The Deseret News via AP
What Has Donald Trump Said About Charlie Kirk?
Trump, as well as other top admin officials, including Vice President JD Vance, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and others, posted on social media to honor Kirk and his legacy.
The president publicly announced Kirk’s death on Truth Social, writing hours after the shooting: “The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is dead. No one understood or had the Heart of the Youth in the United States of America better than Charlie. He was loved and admired by ALL, especially me, and now, he is no longer with us. Melania and my Sympathies go out to his beautiful wife Erika, and family. Charlie, we love you!”
In a statement Wednesday night, Trump called Kirk a “martyr for truth and freedom.” He later said that he “will soon be awarding Charlie Kirk, posthumously, the Presidential Medal of Freedom.”
Vance posted a long message in honor of Kirk on Wednesday night, writing, “Charlie Kirk was a true friend. The kind of guy you could say something to and know it would always stay with him.”
His X post continued, “So much of the success we’ve had in this administration traces directly to Charlie’s ability to organize and convene. He didn’t just help us win in 2024, he helped us staff the entire government.”
The vice president and second lady Usha Vance traveled to Salt Lake City, Utah, to pay respects to the family of Kirk and escort Kirk’s body to Arizona. The vice president helped carry Kirk’s casket onto Air Force Two for transport.
The Vances had originally planned to attend the annual 9/11 observance in New York City, but changed plans to go to Utah and escort Kirk’s casket.
What Happens Next
Robinson is held in custody in Utah. Memorial services for Kirk have not been announced yet. He is survived by his wife and two children.
The president said on Friday, “I hope he’s gonna be found guilty, I would imagine, and I hope he gets the death penalty for what he did.” After Kirk’s shooting, Utah’s governor reminded the public that the state enforces the death penalty.
OREM, Utah, Sept 12 (Reuters) – A young Utah man suspected of killing the influential conservative activist Charlie Kirk at a university in the city of Orem was in custody on Friday, Utah Governor Spencer Cox told reporters.
“We got him,” Cox told reporters.
The suspect, identified as Tyler Robinson, had confessed to a family friend – or “implied that he had committed the murder” to that friend – and that person in turn had contacted the Washington County sheriff’s office on Thursday.
A family member interviewed by investigators said Robinson had become more political recently and spoke in a disparaging manner about Kirk, Cox told reporters. Robinson was taken into custody on Thursday night, about 33 hours after Kirk’s murder, FBI Director Kash Patel said at the press conference.
Kirk, a close ally of U.S. President Donald Trump, was killed by a single bullet as he spoke onstage at an outdoor amphitheatre at Utah Valley University on Wednesday.
Previously, U.S. investigators said they had found the bolt-action rifle believed to have been used to kill Kirk and released images of a person of interest.
Tyler Robinson Mugshots.
Investigators spoke to Robinson’s roommate, who showed them comments Robinson had made on Discord, a chat and streaming platform popular with gamers, discussing retrieving a rifle from a drop point and then leaving the rifle in a bush wrapped in a towel. This matched the description of the gun that authorities recovered after the shooting in a wooded area near campus.
Ammunition found at the scene had been inscribed, Cox said. The messages on the casing included: “What’s this;” “Oh, Bella Ciao, Bella Ciao, Bella Ciao, Ciao;” “If you read this, you are gay, LMAO;” and “Hey fascist, catch!,” Cox told reporters.
Kirk, a well-connected activist, author and podcast host, helped build support for Trump and the Republican Party among younger voters.
Kirk was the co-founder and president of the conservative student group Turning Point USA and appeared at Utah Valley on Wednesday as part of a planned 15-event “American Comeback Tour” of U.S. college campuses. His killing stirred outrage and denunciations of political violence from Democrats, Republicans and foreign governments.
The FBI on Thursday released two photos of a “person of interest” in the fatal shooting of American right-wing commentator Charlie Kirk, appealing to the public for assistance in identifying the individual.
The grainy photos appear to depict a college-age male clad in a black long-sleeve t-shirt, jeans, a baseball cap and black sunglasses.
Kirk, 31, was fatally shot Wednesday afternoon while addressing a group of students at Utah Valley University in the city of Orem, some 40 miles (64.4 kilometers) south of Salt Lake City. The apparent targeted attack occurred despite security including six university police officers and Kirk’s private team.
Online videos captured the moment a bullet struck Kirk as he spoke, sending students fleeing in panic. He was rushed to a hospital where he pronounced dead hours later.
Investigators have found a rifle believed to have been used in the fatal shooting of conservative American political commentator Charlie Kirk, the FBI announced Thursday.
Robert Bohls, the FBI special agent in charge of the Salt Lake City field office, said the “high-powered bolt-action rifle” was recovered in a wooded area linked to the suspected shooter’s escape route.
“The FBI laboratory will be analyzing this weapon. Investigators have also collected footwear impression, a palm print, and forearm imprints for analysis,” he told reporters.
Additional details on the suspect in Wednesday’s shooting were scarce as law enforcement continues to scour surveillance video footage, but authorities said the individual “appears to be of college age.”
“We do have good video footage of this individual. We’re not going to release that at this time. We’re working through some technologies and some ways to identify this individual. If we are unsuccessful, we will reach out to you as the media, and we will push that publicly to help us identify them,” Utah Department of Public Safety Commissioner Beau Mason said.
The investigation has so far been able to track the suspect’s movements starting roughly 30 minutes before Kirk was shot early Wednesday afternoon, Bohls said. Authorities believe the suspect arrived near the Utah Valley University campus at 11:52am, and made his way to the roof and to what Bohls described as a “shooting location.”
After the shooting, the suspect moved to the other side of the building, jumped down and made his way into a nearby neighborhood where investigators have sought home camera surveillance footage.
“We are investing everything we have into this, and we will catch this individual,” said Mason.
The Utah Department of Public Safety and the FBI are leading the investigation alongside the Utah County Attorney’s Office, the Utah County Sheriff’s Office, and local police departments.
Two people of interest were taken into custody in the aftermath of the shooting, but were later released after being cleared of suspicion. Both said both individuals faced “threats” after being released, and asked the public to”patient with the investigative proces.”
“These individuals were not suspects. They were people of interest. We asked that you do not impose into those people and that investigative process. They don’t deserve that harassment,” he said.
Kirk, 30, was fatally shot Wednesday afternoon while addressing a crowd of thousands at the university’s outdoor quad in Orem, about 40 miles south of Salt Lake City. Security at the event included six university police officers and Kirk’s private security team.
Videos posted online showed the apparent moment a bullet struck Kirk as he spoke from under a canopy, sending students fleeing in panic. He was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead hours later.
Former US Vice-President Kamala Harris has delivered her sharpest criticism yet of her former boss, calling Joe Biden’s decision to seek a second term “recklessness” in an excerpt from her forthcoming memoir.
“‘It’s Joe and Jill’s decision.’ We all said that, like a mantra, as if we’d all been hypnotized,” Harris writes in her book. “Was it grace, or was it recklessness? In retrospect, I think it was recklessness.”
In an extract for her book 107 Days, published by The Atlantic on Wednesday, Harris also describes moments where she felt sidelined or denied credit for her work by Biden’s team.
The BBC has contacted Biden’s office for comment.
Harris wrote that as vice-president she was in the “worst position” to tell Biden not to run for president again.
“I knew it would come off to him as incredibly self-serving if I advised him not to run,” she wrote. “He would see it as naked ambition, perhaps as poisonous disloyalty, even if my only message was: Don’t let the other guy win.”
Biden withdrew from the 2024 race following a dismal debate performance against then Republican candidate Donald Trump.
The debate performance fuelled questions about Biden’s age and mental fitness to lead the country. Harris eventually lost the election to Trump.
Harris wrote that 81-year-old Biden’s choice to run for re-election “should have been more than a personal decision”.
“The stakes were simply too high. This wasn’t a choice that should have been left to an individual’s ego, an individual’s ambition,” she wrote.
She denied that there was a “big conspiracy” to hide Biden’s frailty and described the former president as “a smart guy with long experience and deep conviction, able to discharge the duties of president”.
“But at 81, Joe got tired. That’s when his age showed in physical and verbal stumbles,” she wrote.
Harris also alleges the White House failed to adequately respond to her critics.
The former vice-president recalled securing billions of dollars in investment commitments from private companies for Latin American countries to help tackle the root cause of migration.
Despite this, Harris wrote, Republicans “mischaracterized my role as ‘border czar’” – a description that dogged her during her presidential campaign as the number of illegal border crossings spiked.
“No one in the White House [communications] team helped me to effectively push back and explain what I had really been tasked to do, nor to highlight any of the progress I had achieved,” she wrote.
Harris also described a trip she made to Texas in July 2024, in the wake of a devastating hurricane, and listening to a televised address by Biden while in a hotel room in Houston.
“It was a good speech, drawing on the history of the presidency to locate his own place within it,” she wrote. “But as my staff later pointed out, it was almost nine minutes into the 11-minute address before he mentioned me.”
Biden and Harris both ran for the Democratic nomination in 2020, and Biden chose his former rival as his running mate. Their ticket defeated Donald Trump and Mike Pence in November of that year.
Despite suggestions from critics that he was too old to serve a second four-year term, Biden launched a re-election bid in 2023.
Harris plans to go on a book tour of 15 cities, including in the United Kingdom and Canada, for 107 Days. The book is expected to go on sale on 23 September.
Charlie Kirk, a right-wing activist and close ally of President Donald Trump, was fatally shot during an event in the western US state of Utah. This is what we know.
– At a university –
Kirk, the head of the largest conservative youth movement in the United States, which he co-founded in 2012 at the age of 18, was speaking around noon on the campus of Utah Valley University.
Dressed in a white t-shirt with the word “Freedom” across the front, Kirk sat in a chair under a tent as he answered questions from the large audience gathered around him.
The event was the first of about 15 scheduled across the country through the end of October.
– A gunshot, then screams –
Former Utah congressman Jason Chaffetz, who was at the event, told Fox News that Kirk was responding to a question about “transgender shooters, mass shooters, and in the midst of that, the shot rang out.”
The 31-year-old collapsed and blood spurted from his neck, according to a video clip shot from a nearby location.
Kirk was then rushed away on a stretcher by his security detail.
“As soon as that shot went out, he fell back,” Chaffetz said. “Everybody hit the deck… a lot of people started screaming, and then everybody started running.”
– Manhunt for killer ongoing –
Authorities have not arrested a suspect in Kirk’s shooting, described as a “targeted attack” in a statement from Utah’s Department of Public Safety.
“The shooter is believed to have fired from the roof of a building down to the location of the public event in the student courtyard,” it said.
Two men were briefly detained and released after being questioned by law enforcement officials as the manhunt continued.
One man, George Zinn, was charged with obstruction.
Neither man has “current ties to the shooting,” authorities said.
– Trump announces Kirk’s death –
Trump announced Kirk’s death, writing on his Truth Social platform: “The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is dead.”
On the other side of the political spectrum, Democratic figures also condemned the shooting, including Kamala Harris, who said that “political violence has no place in America.”
– Trump vows crackdown –
Although a suspect has not yet been identified, Trump linked rhetoric from the “radical left” to Kirk’s killing and vowed to carry out a crackdown.
“This kind of rhetoric is directly responsible for the terrorism that we’re seeing in our country today,” he said in a somber four-minute video, seated at the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office.
“My administration will find each and every one of those who contributed to this atrocity, and to other political violence, including the organizations that fund it and support it,” the US president said.
Rupert Murdoch’s children have reached a settlement in their long-running legal dispute over control of the right-wing mogul’s media empire, his companies announced Monday, cementing eldest son Lachlan’s leadership.
The agreement resolves litigation after several siblings contested the elder Murdoch’s effort to install as successor his son Lachlan, who shares his father’s political orientation.
A Nevada court had previously blocked the 94-year-old’s effort.
The new deal establishes a trust to replace the Murdoch Family Trust that had included Lachlan plus three other Murdoch siblings.
Under the agreement, Prudence MacLeod, Elisabeth Murdoch and James Murdoch will receive cash based on equity sales and cease to have holdings in either media company.
US media reported the value of the settlement would be $3.3 billion, to be split evenly among the three siblings.
The eldest daughter, Prudence, has had little involvement in the family business, but James and Elisabeth are known as more politically centrist.
“New trusts will be established for the benefit of Lachlan Murdoch, Grace Murdoch and Chloe Murdoch,” said a press release from Fox and News Corp.
Meanwhile “the departing beneficiaries” will “cease to be beneficiaries in any trust holding shares in News Corp or Fox Corporation.”
– Media transformation –
Friction over the future of the holdings — a stable that includes Fox News, The Wall Street Journal and a host of British and Australian media — had been the inspiration for the hit TV series “Succession.”
The complicated structure of the trust reflects the colorful familial relationships that shaped Rupert Murdoch’s life as he built the multibillion-dollar empire.
The original trust was reported to have been the result of a deal with his second wife — mother of Lachlan, Elisabeth and James — who wanted to ensure her offspring would not be disenfranchised by children Murdoch had with his third wife, Wendi Deng.
Murdoch’s daughters with Deng — Grace and Chloe — will be beneficiaries of the new trusts, along with Lachlan.
The agreement establishes LGC Holdco, which will own all shares of News Corp and Fox Corp previously held by the original family trust.
Voting control for these shares “will rest solely with Lachlan Murdoch through his appointed managing director,” said the press release.
The Murdoch empire has transformed tabloid newspapers, cable TV and satellite broadcasting over the last few decades while facing accusations of stoking populism across the English-speaking world.
Brexit in Britain and the rise of Donald Trump in the United States are credited at least partly to Murdoch and his outlets.
RIVALTA, Italy, Sept 8 (Reuters) – Family and close friends were set to gather in a private funeral on Monday for Giorgio Armani, the legendary Italian fashion designer who died last week at the age of 91.
Armani will be laid to rest next to his parents and older brother in a family chapel in Rivalta, a village about 100 km (62 miles) south-east of Milan and near the city where he was born, Piacenza.
In a mark of respect, Armani stores will close in the afternoon.
“We will say goodbye to him as a family and then move forward as he would have wanted. Everything is ready to remember him with his fashion,” his partner Pantaleo Dell’Orco was quoted as saying by Corriere della Sera daily.
Right up to his death, Armani was working on a retrospective exhibition and a fashion show to celebrate 50 years of being in business, during Milan Fashion Week in late September. His company has to date not announced any changes to the programme.
The designer’s death was announced on Thursday, sparking an outpouring of international grief, with tributes flowing in from Hollywood stars, sporting champions, business and political leaders and ordinary people.
Over the weekend, thousands came to pay their respects to the man known as “Re Giorgio” (King Giorgio) as his wooden casket, adorned with white roses, was put on display at Armani’s headquarters in Milan.
“I feel very saddened, because he was a man of great style who, of course, has left an indelible mark… We are definitely losing a great, truly great talent”, Milan resident Alessandra Torchio said on Monday.
Armani died after a five-decade career in which he built a business empire spanning haute couture to home furnishing, with his name becoming synonymous with elegant simplicity.
He had no children but worked with a trusted group of family members and long-term confidants who are expected to carry on running the business over which he exercised tight control.
Israel claimed Sunday that it is “seriously considering” a comprehensive ceasefire and hostage swap deal proposed by US President Donald Trump.
“Israel is seriously considering President Trump’s proposal,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said in a statement.
According to Israel’s public broadcaster KAN and Channel 12, Trump’s proposal carries “fundamental changes compared to previous proposals.”
The proposal suggests the release of all 48 Israeli hostages, including the deceased, on the first day of the ceasefire, in exchange for thousands of Palestinian detainees, including hundreds with long jail terms, the channel said.
It also requires Israel to stop its offensive to occupy Gaza City and launch immediate negotiations, to be directly led by Trump himself, to end the war.
Trump said on Friday that he is engaged in “very deep” negotiations with the Palestinian group Hamas, which had agreed to the latest proposal of mediators Qatar and Egypt on Aug. 18.
There was no immediate comment from Hamas on the report.
Hamas has repeatedly declared its readiness to conclude a comprehensive deal with Israel to release all Israeli captives in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, end the war on Gaza, and withdraw Israeli forces. However,
Netanyahu has rejected such proposals, insisting instead on partial arrangements that allow him to delay and impose new conditions at each stage of negotiations.
Israel has killed nearly 64,400 Palestinians in a brutal offensive in Gaza since October 2023. The military campaign has devastated the enclave, which is facing famine.
Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.
US President Donald Trump said Sunday he is prepared to implement a new phase with additional sanctions on Russia, speaking in the wake of overnight attacks that killed four people and injured dozens in Ukraine.
Talking to reporters before departing for the US Open tennis final in New York City, Trump answered affirmatively when asked if he was ready to move forward with more sanctions on Russia.
The confirmation comes after Russia launched a record 818 drones and missiles overnight, according to Ukraine’s Air Force command, surpassing the previous high of 728 from July.
Trump also addressed domestic policy questions, saying that federal intervention in Chicago would not constitute warfare but rather urban cleanup efforts, despite his social media posting on Chicago alluding to a famous Vietnam War movie.
Asked about embattled Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who faced tough questioning before a congressional committee last week, Trump described him as “a different kind of a guy” with “a lot of good ideas.”
Jersey authorities are investigating Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich in connection with suspected money laundering, according to court records that show hundreds of millions of dollars moving through Swiss bank accounts.
Details of the ongoing investigation are revealed in a series of Swiss court judgments issued in May, obtained by OCCRP, which also show that Jersey authorities suspect companies “under [his] control” violated economic sanctions. The legal rulings gave Swiss authorities permission to provide banking information to Jersey.
Separately, officials in Cyprus told reporters they passed along information about companies linked to the probe upon request from Jersey authorities.
Kobre & Kim, a law firm representing Abramovich, said its client had not been charged with any crime in Jersey and “denies any allegations of wrongdoing.” The firm declined to answer questions about the contents of the Swiss judgments.
“Our client was not a party to those proceedings and no submissions were made on his behalf,” the firm told OCCRP. “For that reason, he is not in a position to respond.”
Details of Jersey’s investigation, outlined in the Swiss judgments, were first reported by the publication Gotham City in June.
The Swiss judgments discuss a businessman referred to only as “G,” but they include background information, including business dealings, that enabled reporters to conclusively identify Abramovich.
The details coincide with Abramovich’s well-publicized $13 billion sale of the Russian oil company, Sibneft, in 2005. The proceeds were paid into accounts of companies controlled by two Jersey-based entities, according to the Swiss judgments.
Prosecutors in Jersey suspect that G made “corruption payments” in the 1990s to maintain control over a Russian company, according to recent Swiss court judgments. Proceeds of the subsequent $13 billion sale of that company were deposited in the bank accounts of companies linked to him, according to the judgments.
Separately, an English High Court judge ruled in 2012 that Abramovich made “substantial cash payments” in the 1990s to obtain indispensable political patronage and influence, a type of support known as “krysha” (or “roof”), allowing him to maintain control of Sibneft.
Lawyers for Abramovich told OCCRP that the English judgment “makes no finding that our client broke any law in respect of his business dealings and there was no suggestion in our client’s defence that his acquisition of the relevant entity was achieved through corruption. Any suggestion to the contrary is misleading, false and defamatory.”
In a request for assistance to Swiss authorities, Jersey prosecutors stated they suspect that “companies indirectly under G’s control” violated Jersey law by carrying out transactions and providing financial services after he was sanctioned there on March 10, 2022.
Along with jurisdictions including the U.K. and European Union, Jersey sanctioned Abramovich for his relationship with the Kremlin following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Jersey sets its own laws, but depends on the U.K. for defense and matters of foreign affairs.
Jersey’s attorney general’s office said it was “not able to comment on live investigations.” The Swiss attorney general’s office confirmed it had executed a request for mutual legal assistance from Jersey, but declined to provide further information.
The Swiss judgments show how federal prosecutors in 2023 and 2024 ordered a Swiss bank to hand over records relating to three companies registered in Cyprus, the British Virgin Islands and Jersey. Each company contested the order in its case, but in May a Swiss criminal court dismissed their appeals.
Subsequent appeals by the three companies to Switzerland’s Supreme Court were ruled inadmissible.
The law firm MME, which represents the three unnamed companies that contested the release of bank account information, did not respond to a request for comment.
The Swiss judgments referenced more than 20 firms and five trusts, including several registered in Cyprus.
The Cypriot police press office confirmed that information was provided to Jersey authorities, but added: “No further information can be disclosed at this time since the investigation is ongoing.”
A law enforcement official in Cyprus, who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media, described the requests by Jersey as “extensive.”
“We provided a lot of material,” the official told CIReN, OCCRP’s Cypriot member center.
Jersey received information about “opening bank accounts, records of companies from the registrar, and records for trusts from the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission,” the official said.
