President Donald Trump and his supporters will pay tribute to conservative activist Charlie Kirk, whose assassination has intensified political tensions in the U.S. The memorial service Sunday in Arizona is expected to draw a large crowd to hear from Trump, Vice President JD Vance and other prominent figures. Members of the public began lining up outside State Farm Stadium before dawn to secure a spot, several hours before the start of the service. Kirk was killed this month at a Utah college, and his assassination has sparked debates about violence and free speech. Kirk founded Turning Point, a group that played a significant role in Trump's political success.
The Taliban government has rejected U.S. President Donald Trump’s call to retake Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan. Trump has suggested reestablishing a U.S. presence at the base, but did not provide details about any discussions. On Sunday, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid urged the U.S. to follow a policy of realism and rationality. He emphasized Afghanistan's independence and territorial integrity, referencing the Doha Agreement, which prohibits the U.S. from using force against Afghanistan. The Taliban also noted ongoing discussions with U.S. envoys about prisoner exchanges to normalize relations, though no details were provided.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer says the U.K. is formally recognizing a Palestinian state despite opposition from the U.S. and Israel. On Sunday, Starmer explained that the move aims to end the conflict in Gaza and promote lasting peace between Israel and the Palestinians. Although largely symbolic, this decision is historic, as the U.K. played a role in the region's past. The announcement follows Starmer's July statement that the U.K. would recognize a Palestinian state unless Israel agreed to specific conditions. More than 140 countries have already recognized a Palestinian state, with others expected to follow at the U.N. General Assembly.
Polls have opened in Guinea for a referendum on a draft constitution. Sunday's vote could allow junta leader Gen. Mamadi Doumbouya, who seized power four years ago, to run for president and is seen as a key step in transitioning from military to civilian rule. However, critics call it a power grab and a way to legitimize the military coup. The referendum needs at least 50% turnout to pass. The campaign has been dominated by supporters of the junta, with opposition voices largely silenced. Elections are expected in December.
Prime Minister Mark Carney says Canada has recognized a Palestinian state.
Several French mayors have defied government orders and flown Palestinian flags on town halls, with more expected to follow suit as France prepares to formally recognize a Palestinian state at the United Nations General Assembly. It's unclear how many cities will join the initiative on Monday after Socialist leader Olivier Faure's call to fly the flags. The Interior Ministry has warned against such displays, citing risks of importing international conflict. The war in Gaza and the broader Israeli-Palestinian conflict are expected to be top agenda items at the U.N. General Assembly. Some mayors argue the gesture supports France’s recognition of Palestine.
A gunman opened fire at a New Hampshire country club during a wedding, killing one person and wounding two others. The shooting happened on Saturday at the Sky Meadow Country Club in Nashua. Authorities have identified the suspect as 23-year-old Hunter Nadeau and charged him with second-degree murder. Additional charges are expected. Police initially thought there were two shooters but later confirmed there was only one. The motive remains unclear. Witnesses described a chaotic scene as people scrambled for safety. The deceased was identified as 59-year-old Robert Steven DeCesare. Police say there is no further danger to the public.
A bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers has pushed for more military dialogue in a meeting with China's Premier Li Qiang. The meeting on Sunday marked the first visit by a House delegation to Beijing since 2019. Li welcomed the delegates, calling it an “icebreaking trip” to strengthen ties. Rep. Adam Smith, a Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, emphasized the need for military communication. The delegation included members from both the Armed Services and Foreign Affairs Committees. U.S.-China relations have been strained by trade tensions, Taiwan's status and China's support for Russia.
A gunman has opened fire at a New Hampshire country club during a wedding, killing one person and wounding two others. The shooting happened on Saturday at the Sky Meadow Country Club in Nashua. Authorities have identified the suspect as 23-year-old Hunter Nadeau and charged him with second-degree murder. Additional charges are expected. Police initially thought there were two shooters but later confirmed there was only one. The motive remains unclear. Witnesses described a chaotic scene as people scrambled for safety. The deceased was identified as 59-year-old Robert Steven DeCesare. Police say there is no further danger to the public.
Emerging TikTok deal with China ensures US control of board and crucial algorithm, White House says
Today is Sunday, Sept. 21, the 264th day of 2025. There are 101 days left in the year.
Afro-Bolivians, though recognized in their country's 2009 constitution, remain among Bolivia’s most invisible groups. Descendants of Africans enslaved in the 16th and 17th centuries, they were taken to mines and later to large estates. Despite symbolic gestures like establishing a national day in 2011, activists say structural change has lagged, while the traditional dance known as “saya” endures as a form of protest, connection and pride.
Emerging TikTok deal with China ensures US control of board and crucial algorithm, White House says
Pentagon steps up media restrictions, now requiring approval before reporting even unclassified info
The Pentagon is stepping up restrictions on the media by requiring journalists to sign a pledge not to report on information that has not been authorized for release, including unclassified information. Journalists who don't abide risk losing their media credentials that provide direct to the military headquarters. Free-press advocates call the move an assault on independent journalism. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is telling journalists to follow the rules or go home. The Pentagon this year has evicted many news organizations while imposing a series of restrictions on the press that include banning reporters from entering wide swaths of the Pentagon without a government escort.
President Donald Trump has announced he will award Ben Carson the Presidential Medal of Freedom. This marks the third such award Trump has announced this month. Trump made the announcement Saturday in a speech during an event at Mount Vernon for the American Cornerstone Institute, which Carson founded. Carson, a former neurosurgeon and 2016 presidential candidate, served as Housing and Urban Development secretary during Trump's first term. The Medal of Freedom is the nation's highest civilian honor, recognizing individuals for significant contributions to the United States. Trump has already announced two other recipients since returning to the White House, Rudy Giuliani and a posthumous award for Charlie Kirk.
President Donald Trump has announced his nomination of Lindsey Halligan as the top federal prosecutor for the Eastern District of Virginia. This decision follows the resignation of Erik Siebert, who was pressured to bring charges in a mortgage fraud investigation involving New York Attorney General Letitia James. Trump has been vocal about the need for swift action in the investigation, which he views as politically motivated. Halligan has been part of Trump's legal team for years. Her nomination comes shortly after conservative lawyer Mary “Maggie” Cleary was named acting U.S. attorney for the same district.
Police in New Hampshire say multiple gunshot victims at country club. 1 suspect in custody, 1 at large.
An emerging TikTok deal with China will ensure that U.S. companies control the algorithm that powers the app's video feed and Americans will hold a majority of seats on a board overseeing U.S. operations. That word comes from White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt in a Fox News interview Saturday. A central question has been whether the popular social video platform would keep its algorithm after the potential divestment of Chinese parent company ByteDance. Congress passed legislation calling for a TikTok ban to go into effect in January. President Donald Trump has allowed TikTok to keep operating in the United States as his administration tries to reach agreement for ByteDance to sell its U.S. operations.
A possible federal shutdown is looming at month's end, and the Democratic leaders of Congress are demanding a meeting with President Donald Trump to negotiate. Sen. Chuck Schumer and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries said Saturday that Republicans, at Trump’s insistence, have refused to enter talks. The leaders want a meeting with Trump to prevent what they call “your decision” to shutter federal offices if no action is taken by month's end. A Trump administration official, who wasn't authorized to comment on the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity, was dismissive of the Democrats' demand. Trump late Saturday suggested he was open to a meeting but said he didn't think it would have impact.
ADDISON, Vt. (AP) — Celine Thouin learned a lot as a student at Franklin Pierce University, and one of the skills she has held onto the longest is how to use an ancient spear-throwing tool.
President Donald Trump’s latest plan to overhaul the American immigration system has left some immigrant workers confused. That left the White House on Saturday scrambling to clarify that its new $100,000 fee on visas for skilled tech workers that soon will go into effect only applies to new applicants and not to current visa holders. The president on Friday signed a proclamation that will require the fee for what are known as H-1B visas — meant for high-skilled jobs that tech companies find hard to fill.
On the eve of New York Climate Week, activists and members of the public have gathered to protest the financial institutions that are “making our lives more expensive while profiting off the climate crisis, war and genocide,” the organizers say. The protests are part of a larger week of events and a weekend of demonstrations around the world called “Draw The Line,” demanding from world leaders “rights, jobs, justice, democracy, and a fulfilling life on a safe planet” ahead of this year’s United Nations climate summit in November.
California has become the first state to ban most law enforcement officers from covering their faces while conducting official business. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the measure into law Saturday. The measure prohibits neck gaiters, ski masks and other facial coverings for local and federal officers, including immigration enforcement agents, There are some exceptions, however. It’s a direct response to recent immigration raids in Los Angeles where federal agents covered their faces while making arrests. Critics say California does not have authority over federal agents and the ban would put agents at risk. A top Homeland Security official calls it “despicable and a flagrant attempt to endanger our officers.”
After cuts to food stamps, Trump administration ends government's annual report on hunger in America
The Trump administration is ending the federal government’s annual report on hunger in America, saying it had become “overly politicized″ and ”rife with inaccuracies.″ The decision comes two and a half months after President Donald Trump signed legislation sharply reducing food aid to the poor. The Congressional Budget Office has estimated that what Trump calls the “Big Beautiful Bill″ means 3 million people would not qualify for food stamps, also known as SNAP benefits.
California governor signs a law banning most law enforcement officers from wearing masks during some operations.
Trump's economic promises to Black voters fall short after a modest shift in support for him in 2024
Donald Trump warned during the campaign that Black Americans were losing jobs in large numbers and things would only worsen without his leadership. The Republican has been back in the White House since January, and the economic situation for Black Americans has deteriorated. Black unemployment has risen from 6.2% to 7.5% this year, the highest since October 2021. Black homeownership has fallen to the lowest level since 2021. That can put at risk the small but politically meaningful inroads Trump made in 2024 with Black voters. The White House says some of the downward trends began under Democratic President Joe Biden.
A senior Estonian military official said Russian pilots ignored signals from Italian jets during a 12-minute violation of Estonian airspace. Russia’s Defense Ministry denied the incident, which happened near an Estonian island in the Baltic Sea. Estonian officials responded by saying the country plans to request NATO consultations under Article 4, but said there's no need to trigger NATO's collective Article 5 defense clause.
In all the stunning things about ABC’s swift removal of Jimmy Kimmel, its longtime late-night host and Oscars-hosting face of the network, perhaps the least surprising was that a comedian was again at the center of a battle over free speech. As long as jokes have been told, comedians have drawn the ire of the powerful. That has often put comedians on the front lines of free-speech battles, from George Carlin violating obscenity laws to satirical puppet shows trying to exist in Vladimir Putin’s Russia. In authoritarian regimes, crackdowns on speech usually make comedy a target.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Taylor Swift is heading back to the big screen next month, and fans are already lining up for tickets.
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — A 9-year-old Texas girl who was among 27 Camp Mystic campers and counselors who died in flash flooding on the Fourth of July was honored by TCU and SMU before the alma maters of her parents played Saturday.
A vintage rock 'n' roller who wrote both the rebel anthem “I Fought the Law” and the theme to “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” Sonny Curtis has died at 88. His wife Louise Curtis confirmed to The Associated Press that he died Friday. Curtis was a childhood friend of Buddy Holly and early member of his band the Crickets. Starting as a teenager, he wrote or co-wrote hundreds of songs, from Keith Whitley's country smash “I'm No Stranger to the Rain” to the Everly Brothers' “Walk Right Back.” He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012 as a member of the Crickets.
Sonny Curtis, member of Buddy Holly's Crickets and creator of 'Mary Tyler Moore Show' theme song, dies at 88.
The three detectives killed this week in one of Pennsylvania’s deadliest days for police officers this century are men who are missed for their humility, hard work and willingness to help others. The detectives — Mark Baker, Cody Becker and Isaiah Emenheiser — are being lauded as pillars of the Northern York County Regional Police Department where they had served nearly six decades combined. They had saved lives before walking into an ambush set by a man wanted in a stalking case. A friend says Emenheiser was a perfectionist who had dreams of opening his own gym complex and Baker joked last year that he was counting down the days to retirement.
An immigration enforcement operation in the Chicago area is troubling immigrants and activists because of what they say are increasingly aggressive tactics. But a top official with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement denies that officers are using excessive force. The operation began Sept. 8 and has led to the arrests of nearly 550 people. The aim is to enforce President Trump's immigration policies in a city known for strong laws against local cooperation with federal immigration efforts. A Chicago alderman accuses immigration enforcement agents of trying to provoke activists into overreacting in order to justify calling in a greater use of force such as National Guard troops.
Families of some of the victims of violent crime in Chicago say that although it's been a largely intractable problem for the city for decades, they don't think sending in National Guard troops is the answer. Delphine Cherry, whose daughter and son were shot and killed 20 years apart and who now sits on the board of an antiviolence nonprofit, says President Donald Trump's promise to deploy troops to Chicago probably won't help, and it may end up making the streets more dangerous. Trump has said he plans to send troops and a wave of agents to enforce his administration's immigration policies in Chicago, which is a sanctuary city. Details of the planned operation are still largely unknown.
Luigi Mangione’s lawyers are urging a judge to bar federal prosecutors from seeking the death penalty in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. They argued in court papers Saturday that authorities prejudiced his case by turning his arrest into a “Marvel movie” spectacle and by publicly declaring their desire to see him executed. Fresh from a legal victory that eliminated terrorism charges in Mangione’s state murder case, his lawyers are now fighting to have his federal case dismissed. They cited U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi’s declaration prior to his April indictment that capital punishment is warranted for a “premeditated, cold-blooded assassination that shocked America.” Federal prosecutors have until Oct. 31 to respond. Mangione has pleaded not guilty.
Russia has launched a large-scale missile and drone attack across Ukraine, killing at least three people and wounding dozens more. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Saturday the attacks targeted nine regions, including Dnipropetrovsk and Kyiv. He stated that the strikes were aimed at infrastructure and civilian areas. In Dnipropetrovsk, 30 people were wounded, and buildings were damaged. Ukraine's air force reported shooting down numerous drones and missiles. Meanwhile, Russia's Defense Ministry denied violating Estonia's airspace after Estonia reported an incursion by Russian jets. Estonia has summoned a Russian diplomat and initiated NATO consultations.
GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — The memorial for conservative icon Charlie Kirk will be held on Sunday at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
Drugstores are ready to deliver COVID-19 vaccines this fall, and insurers plan to cover them, despite the shots no longer being recommended by a key government committee. Vaccine advisers selected by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. have declined to specifically recommend the shots in a series of votes, but said people could make individual decisions on whether to receive them. Recommendations from these advisers normally trigger insurance coverage and allow drugstores in many states to deliver the shots. But insurers and government officials have said coverage will continue. Several states have allowed for vaccine access through drugstores.
President Donald Trump likes to project dominance and confidence on the world stage, but lately he's been expressing more frustration and disappointment. Russian President Vladimir Putin is showing no end to his war in Ukraine, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expanding operations in Gaza and complicating diplomatic efforts by striking U.S. ally Qatar. Trump says his goal for the upcoming U.N. General Assembly is “world peace,” but conflicts appear to be escalating instead. Critics say the Republican president's approach has been ineffective so far.
BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Serbia on Saturday staged a large-scale military parade in the capital Belgrade, showcasing tanks, missile systems and fighter jets in what officials described as the country’s biggest display of army strength in its history.
President Donald Trump calls him a “communist.” His critics say he wants to defund the police. Zohran Mamdani insists he’s just a guy trying to make New York City more affordable. Mamdani’s meteoritic rise to become the Democratic nominee for New York City mayor has put his policy positions unde scrutiny. He’d be the city’s most liberal mayor in generations. But as he tries to broaden his support ahead of the November election, the state lawmaker has shifted more to the center on certain issues. He says he no longer wants to defund the NYPD. And Mamdani says that while he believes government should play a role in reducing economic disparity, he's no communist.
Today is Saturday, Sept. 20, the 263rd day of 2025. There are 102 days left in the year.
A new poll shows Republicans' outlook on the direction of the country has soured dramatically. The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll was conducted shortly after last week's assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk in Utah. The poll shows the share of Republicans who see the country headed in the right direction has fallen sharply in recent months. Today, only about half in the GOP see the nation on the right course, down from 70% in June. Overall, about one-quarter of Americans say things in the country are headed in the right direction, down from about 4 in 10 in June. Democrats and independents didn't shift meaningfully.
Clayton Kershaw gave up a home run while pitching his final regular-season home game for the Los Angeles Dodgers, receiving standing ovations from fans. This comes a day after he announced his retirement at the end of the season. Kershaw, 37, left the game with the Dodgers trailing 2-1, having given up two runs and four hits. Fans cheered as he walked off, waving and hugging teammates. Kershaw's career includes three Cy Young Awards and two World Series championships. His competitive spirit remains strong despite recent injuries. The Dodgers beat San Francisco 6-3 to clinch their 13th consecutive postseason berth.
Republicans’ outlook on the direction of the country has soured dramatically, according to a new AP-NORC poll that was conducted shortly after the assassination last week of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Robin is a therapeutic robot programed to act like a 7-year-old girl as it travels around nursing homes and hospitals' pediatric units providing emotional support while helping to combat staffing shortages. With a large screen displaying cartoonlike features and a sleek white frame designed for hugging, Robin has become a familiar face in 30 health care facilities across four states. Robin is about 30% autonomous, while a team of operators working remotely controls the rest under the watchful eyes of clinical staff. With each interaction, they collect more data and get closer to it being able to function independently.
It took two decades for Utah Valley University to evolve from a small community college into the state’s largest school that boasts of having one of the safest campuses in the nation. It took seconds for that image to be shattered with the assassination of right wing activist Charlie Kirk. The sprawling campus of almost 50,000 students beneath the Wasatch Mountains will be forever tethered to the events of Sept. 10. A bullet took down the founder of Turning Point USA as he spoke to a large crowd at an outdoor amphitheater in the middle of campus. The school now faces a thorny question: what to do with its sudden infamy?
Senate rejects competing bills to fund government, increasing risk of shutdown on Oct. 1
Estonia has summoned a Russian diplomat to protest after three Russian fighter jets entered its airspace without permission. The Foreign Ministry said the incursion on Friday lasted 12 minutes. This is the fifth time this year that Russia has violated Estonian airspace, but the Foreign Minister called this incident "unprecedentedly brazen." The airspace violation comes just over a week after NATO planes downed Russian drones over Poland, raising concerns about the war in Ukraine spilling over. Russian officials have not yet commented on the incident.
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