United News of Bangladesh

The family of a young Utah man accused of fatally shooting conservative activist Charlie Kirk told authorities he had recently become “more political” and recalled a dinner table conversation where they discussed whether Kirk was spreading hate. Tyler James Robinson, 22, of Washington, Utah, was arrested on suspicion of aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily harm, and obstruction of justice, according to a probable cause statement released Friday. A judge has ordered him held without bail. Robinson had recently mentioned Kirk’s scheduled visit to Utah Valley University — about three and a half hours from his family home in southern Utah — which sparked a discussion during dinner about his dislike of Kirk’s views, according to the family. State records show Robinson is registered to vote but unaffiliated with any political party and listed as inactive, having not voted in the last two general elections. His parents, who run a granite countertop business, are registered Republicans. Court records indicate Robinson has no prior criminal history. It was not immediately clear whether he had an attorney to speak on his behalf, and his family has not responded to media inquiries. Community in shock Police sealed off Robinson’s street on Friday as reporters gathered outside the family’s home in a suburb of St. George. Window blinds were drawn, and neighbors expressed shock online that someone from their close-knit community had been implicated in such a high-profile killing. Several praised the family for assisting authorities in his arrest. Neighbors described the Robinsons as quiet, outdoors-oriented, and active in family trips. Social media posts from previous years show the family vacationing in Disneyland, Hawaii, the Caribbean and Alaska, and engaging in boating, fishing, zip-lining and target shooting. One 2017 photo shows a smiling young Robinson holding the handles of a .50-caliber heavy machine gun during a visit to a military facility. Robinson had been baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, though church spokesperson Doug Andersen declined to provide further details about his involvement. Neighbors said they hadn’t seen the family at church services for years. Friends and acquaintances described him as intelligent, quiet and reserved. Robinson had been an honor roll student in high school, scoring in the 99th percentile on standardized tests. He earned a scholarship to Utah State University in 2021 but dropped out after one semester. He later enrolled in an electrical apprenticeship program at Dixie Technical College in St. George. How the arrest unfolded Utah Governor Spencer Cox said Friday that the breakthrough came when a family member reached out to a family friend with information that Robinson had confessed or implied involvement in the shooting. Authorities then confirmed the tip with a friend of Robinson’s, who showed them messages describing a note Robinson allegedly left behind. Discord, the social media platform where Robinson was reported to have shared gun-related discussions, later clarified that the communications in question were between Robinson’s roommate and another friend after the shooting, not posted by Robinson himself. When Robinson was arrested, authorities said he was wearing clothing consistent with surveillance footage of the shooter. Ammunition recovered at the scene bore engravings referencing meme culture and fascist imagery, according to Governor Cox.

President Donald Trump confirmed Friday that the suspect in the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk has been apprehended with "high certainty." Federal and state authorities had earlier released images and a video of the suspected shooter. Kirk, a prominent conservative figure and ally of Trump, was shot while speaking at Utah Valley University in Orem. The attack occurred in broad daylight, with disturbing footage showing Kirk being struck by a bullet during a public address on social issues. Over 7,000 tips have been received as part of the investigation, but authorities have not yet identified the suspect or provided a motive. The FBI's Robert Bohls confirmed it was a "targeted event." The shooter fired from a rooftop and then blended into the crowd, disappearing after the attack. Trump, along with other political leaders, condemned the violence and announced plans to award Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom posthumously. Kirk’s funeral will be attended by Trump, and his body was flown to Phoenix for services, where his organization, Turning Point USA, is based. Kirk, known for his divisive views, was taking questions on gun violence moments before the shooting. His appearance sparked protests on campus, with some students barricading themselves in classrooms for safety. The shooting continues to draw bipartisan outrage, reflecting ongoing concerns about political violence in the U.S.  

Charlie Kirk's casket arrived in his home state of Arizona aboard Air Force Two on Thursday as Vice President JD Vance honored the conservative activist with a final flight. Vance's wife, Usha, stepped off the plane with Kirk's widow, Erika. Both women wore black and sunglasses. The vice president was a few steps behind in a dark suit. Air Force Two arrived in Phoenix after a short flight from Salt Lake City, about 40 miles (64 kilometers) from Orem, Utah, where Kirk was assassinated while speaking at Utah Valley University. Vance helped carry Kirk's casket with a group of uniformed service members as it was loaded onto the plane. On Wednesday night, Vance wrote on social media that his relationship with Vance began several years ago after he appeared on Tucker Carlson’s show on Fox News. Kirk reached out to compliment him, “and that moment of kindness began a friendship.” Last year, Kirk advocated for Vance to be Donald Trump’s choice for vice president and frequently checked in on his family. Vance described him as “a true friend.” Kirk was co-founder and CEO of the conservative youth organization Turning Point USA, based in Phoenix.

A suspect on trial for attempting to assassinate former President Donald Trump last year lost the right to continue his opening statement on Thursday after veering off topic to discuss Adolf Hitler and wars in Ukraine and Gaza. Ryan Routh, 59, representing himself, was warned by U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon to stay on topic. His 10-minute initial statement was cut short for discussing unrelated matters. Prosecutors said Routh had plotted for weeks to kill Trump while he played golf in West Palm Beach on Sept. 15, 2024. A Secret Service agent spotted him and fired, forcing him to drop his rifle and flee without harming anyone. Routh faces charges of attempting to assassinate a major presidential candidate, assaulting a federal officer, and several firearm violations. He has pleaded not guilty. The trial, expected to last two to three weeks, began with a 12-member jury and four alternates sworn in on Wednesday.

Americans are observing the 24th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks with solemn ceremonies, volunteer activities, and tributes to the victims. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump attended a service at the Pentagon Thursday morning. Later in the evening, the president planned to travel to the Bronx to watch a baseball game between the New York Yankees and Detroit Tigers. This marked Trump’s first public appearance since Wednesday’s fatal shooting in Utah of his supporter Charlie Kirk. At 9:37 a.m. on Sept. 11, 2001, American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon, killing 184 military personnel and civilians. In other news, Harvard University has begun receiving notifications that many federal grants previously terminated under the Trump administration will be reinstated after a federal judge ruled the cuts illegal. The decision may signal the return of federal research funding to Harvard after months of a funding deadlock with the White House, though no payments have yet been made. Harvard spokesperson Jason Newton said the university is “monitoring funding receipts closely.” Last week, a federal judge in Boston ordered the government to reverse more than $2.6 billion in cuts, describing them as unconstitutional and saying antisemitism was used as a cover for ideological attacks. The White House has announced plans to appeal the ruling. Meanwhile, the U.S. labor market shows signs of softening. The Labor Department reported Thursday that applications for unemployment benefits rose by 27,000 last week to 263,000, the highest weekly filings in nearly four years and above the 231,000 applications economists had expected. Weekly claims are considered an indicator of layoffs and have generally remained between 200,000 and 250,000 since the post-pandemic recovery. The four-week average of claims increased by 9,750 to 240,500. The total number of Americans receiving unemployment benefits for the week of Aug. 30 remained at 1.94 million.

Conservative activist and Turning Point USA co-founder Charlie Kirk was shot dead Wednesday at Utah Valley University, authorities said, as federal, state and local law enforcement searched for the unidentified shooter. The gunman, wearing dark clothing, fired from a rooftop at a distance while Kirk spoke during a campus event titled “The American Comeback Tour.” Videos show Kirk reaching up after a single shot struck his neck, as students screamed and fled. Kirk, 31, died at the scene. Utah Gov. Spencer Cox condemned the killing as a “political assassination,” saying the suspect would be held accountable under state law, which includes the death penalty. Two people were briefly detained but later released after authorities found no connection to the shooting. Kirk, a prominent Trump ally, was taking questions on gun violence when the attack occurred. The event, organised by Kirk’s nonprofit Turning Point USA, attracted around 3,000 attendees. Campus police and Kirk’s security were present, and the university evacuated the area immediately. The campus will remain closed until Monday. Former President Donald Trump called Kirk a “martyr for truth and freedom” and blamed “radical left” rhetoric for the attack. Tributes and condemnation poured in across party lines, including from Democratic leaders and former congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, who was wounded in a 2011 mass shooting. Conservative activist Charlie Kirk shot dead at Utah college Turning Point USA, founded in 2012 by Kirk and William Montgomery, promotes conservative ideas among college students. Kirk became a key figure in conservative youth politics, supporting Trump’s campaigns and frequently appearing on cable TV to discuss culture and politics. The shooting comes amid rising concern over political violence in the United States, with incidents targeting individuals across ideological lines, including recent attacks on lawmakers and public figures. Local authorities set up multiple active crime scenes around the university and canvassed the surrounding neighborhood for information, while helicopters patrolled overhead. Students described the scene as chaotic, with some trampled or dropping belongings while fleeing. Witness Madison Lattin said she was “so scared, not just for him but for our own safety” and wept upon learning of Kirk’s death.

Charlie Kirk, a conservative activist and close ally of President Donald Trump, was shot and killed Wednesday during an event at Utah Valley University in what Utah Governor Spencer Cox described as a political assassination carried out from a rooftop. “This is a dark day for our state and a tragic day for the nation. I want to be very clear: this is a political assassination,” Cox said. No suspect was in custody late Wednesday. Authorities said they were searching for a new person of interest. Two individuals initially detained were released after authorities found no connection to the shooting. Kirk, 31, co-founder and CEO of the youth organization Turning Point USA, was addressing an audience of around 3,000 people as part of his “The American Comeback Tour” when a single shot struck him in the neck. Videos circulating on social media showed Kirk collapsing and blood gushing from his wound, while spectators screamed and scattered. The shooter reportedly fired from a rooftop some distance away. President Donald Trump announced Kirk’s death on social media, calling him “great, and even legendary,” and later referred to him as a “martyr for truth and freedom,” blaming the rhetoric of the “radical left” for the attack. The university evacuated its campus and canceled classes, with armed officers patrolling surrounding areas and questioning residents to identify the shooter. Kirk’s visit had sparked controversy on campus, with a petition calling to bar him from speaking garnering nearly 1,000 signatures. The university defended his appearance citing First Amendment rights. The shooting drew bipartisan condemnation. Democratic California Governor Gavin Newsom called the attack “disgusting, vile, and reprehensible,” while former Democratic Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords expressed her condolences to Kirk’s family, which includes his wife and two young children. Kirk, who co-founded Turning Point USA in 2012 with William Montgomery, had become a prominent figure in conservative circles, mobilizing young Republicans and promoting limited government and low taxes on college campuses. He also served as a personal aide to Donald Trump Jr. during the 2016 election campaign and frequently appeared on cable news to discuss cultural and political issues. The incident highlights growing concerns over political violence in the United States, with recent years seeing attacks targeting representatives across the ideological spectrum.

The Americans marked 24 years since the September 11, 2001, terror attacks on Thursday with ceremonies, volunteer work, and other tributes honoring nearly 3,000 victims. Commemorations took place in New York, at the Pentagon, and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, with family members, dignitaries, and politicians attending. Many also observed the day privately, reflecting on the lasting impact of the attacks. James Lynch, who lost his father Robert Lynch at the World Trade Center, said he and his family attended a local ceremony in New Jersey before spending time at the beach. “Any kind of grief never really goes away,” Lynch said while volunteering at a 9/11 charity event in Manhattan. “Finding the joy in that grief has been a huge part of my growth.” The anniversary came amid heightened political tensions, a day after conservative activist Charlie Kirk was shot dead at a college in Utah. Authorities said additional security measures were in place for the ceremonies, including the World Trade Center event in lower Manhattan. At Ground Zero, family members read aloud the names of victims, while moments of silence marked the times the planes struck and the towers fell. Vice President JD Vance and second lady Usha Vance attended the service. At the Pentagon, President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump joined a service honoring 184 people killed when hijackers crashed a jet into the military headquarters. In Shanksville, Pennsylvania, Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins participated in a memorial for passengers of Flight 93, who attempted to retake control of the hijacked plane. Across the country, many observed a national day of service, participating in food and clothing drives, blood donations, park cleanups, and other community projects. The 9/11 attacks killed 2,977 people, including financial workers at the World Trade Center and first responders. They reshaped U.S. domestic and foreign policy, leading to the Global War on Terror and U.S.-led invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq. Legal proceedings against Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the alleged mastermind of the attacks, remain unresolved. Meanwhile, the U.S. government continues to provide health care and compensation to thousands affected by the toxic dust from the collapsed towers, with more than 140,000 people still enrolled in monitoring programs.

A federal appeals court has upheld a civil jury's finding that President Donald Trump must pay $83.3 million to E. Jean Carroll for his repeated social media attacks against the longtime advice columnist after she accused him of sexual assault. In a ruling issued Monday, the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected Trump's appeal of the defamation award, finding that the “jury's damages awards are fair and reasonable.” Trump had argued that he should not have to pay the sum as a result of a Supreme Court decision expanding presidential immunity. His lawyers had asked for a new trial. A civil jury in Manhattan issued the $88.3 million award last year following a trial that centered on Trump’s repeated social media attacks against Carroll over her claims that he sexually assaulted her in a Manhattan department store in 1996. That award followed a separate trial, in which Trump was found liable for sexually abusing Carroll and ordered to pay $5 million. That award was upheld by an appeals court last December. In a memoir, and again at a 2023 trial, Carroll described how a chance encounter with Trump at Bergdorf Goodman’s Fifth Avenue in 1996 started with the two flirting as they shopped, then ended with a violent struggle inside a dressing room. Carroll said Trump slammed her against a dressing room wall, pulled down her tights and forced himself on her. A jury found Trump liable for sexual assault, but concluded he hadn’t committed rape, as defined under New York law. Trump repeatedly denied that the encounter took place and accused Carroll of making it up to help sell her book. He also said that Carroll was “not my type.” The 2023 jury awarded Carroll $5 million to compensate her for both the alleged attack and statements Trump made denying that it had happened. After that first verdict, the court held a second trial with a new jury for the purpose of deciding damages for additional statements Trump made attacking Carroll’s character and truthfulness. Trump had skipped the first civil trial but he attended the second, which took place as he was running for president in 2024. Speaking to reporters throughout the trial, Trump portrayed the lawsuit as part of a broader effort to smear him and prevent him from regaining the White House. His lawyers complained that the judge, in setting rules for the second, damages trial, had barred Trump and his defense team from claiming in front of the jury that he was innocent of the attack. The judge ruled that that issue had been settled by the first jury and didn’t need to be revisited.

The Trump administration on Monday asked the Supreme Court for an emergency order to keep nearly $5 billion in foreign aid frozen, despite a lower court ruling that the move was likely illegal. President Donald Trump announced on Aug. 28 that he would not spend $4.9 billion in congressionally approved foreign aid, using a rarely invoked budget maneuver known as a pocket rescission. The authority, disputed in court, has not been used by a president in about 50 years. U.S. District Judge Amir Ali ruled last week that the administration’s decision violated the law, noting that only Congress can approve rescission proposals. A federal appeals panel also refused to block his ruling, prompting the administration to appeal to the Supreme Court. Justice Department lawyers said another $6.5 billion in aid under the freeze will be released by Sept. 30, the end of the fiscal year. Nonprofit groups that filed the lawsuit argued the freeze broke federal law and disrupted urgent humanitarian programs overseas.