Person in custody in shooting of Charlie Kirk, Trump says; calls for death penalty
A person is in custody in the shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, President Donald Trump said on X and on Fox & Friends Friday morning.
"I think, with a high degree of certainty, we have him in custody," Trump said.
He later added, "Subject to change but the facts are the facts we have the person that we think is the person we're looking for."
Trump said he was told just five minutes before he went on air for the prescheduled interview that someone was in custody.
"Essentially, somebody that was very close to him turned him in," Trump said.
Trump said the father of the suspect went to authorities and convinced the son "and this is it," the president said.
Law enforcement has yet to confirm the arrest or provide any details.
Trump reiterated in the interview that the shooter should get the death penalty.
"In Utah, you have death penalty, and a good governor there, I have gotten to know him," Trump said of Gov. Spencer Cox. "The governor is intent on the death penalty in this case and he should be."
In the latest video of the suspect, which was played during a news conference with state and federal officials Thursday evening, the apparent gunman can be seen climbing down from the roof of a building on the campus of Utah Valley University, where authorities believe he fired the fatal shot and fled from the scene.
The FBI said it was offering a reward of up to $100,000 for information leading to the identification and arrest of the person responsible for Kirk's murder.
On Thursday, Utah authorities released photos of the person of interest in the shooting: The individual can be seen walking up the stairs to the top of the building where the shooting took place while carrying a black backpack and wearing a shirt with what appeared to be an American flag print on it.
A joint press conference this morning including the Governor, Head of the FBI and other law enforcement officials on Friday morning, gave the press supporting information that led to the arrest of the shooter.
Source-ABC
TCI Boat Club Donates $7,000 to TCI SNAP Centre from 11th Annual Poker Run
The TCI Boat Club has once again demonstrated its commitment to community support by donating $7,000 to the SNAP Center, raised through its highly successful 11th Annual Poker Run.
This generous contribution highlights the club’s dedication to supporting the vital services the SNAP Centre provides to children with special needs and their families in Providenciales. Last year’s donation assisted with much-needed upgrades at the Centre, and this year’s contribution will further strengthen the delivery of critical programmes and services for students.
"Our Annual Poker Run is more than just a fun event on the water; it’s a way for our community to come together and make a tangible difference. The SNAP Centre does invaluable work, and we are honoured to contribute and partner with their mission," said Ms. Jenekah Stubbs of the TCI Boat Club.
Director of the Special Education Needs Services (SENS) Department, Dr. Anya Malcolm-Gibbs expressed gratitude on behalf of the center: "We are truly thankful for the TCI Boat Club’s continued generosity. This donation will directly support our efforts to provide a safe, supportive, and empowering learning environment for our students. Partnerships like these remind us that when the community comes together, children with special needs are given the opportunity to thrive."
The Minister of Education, Youth, Sports and Social Services, Hon. Rachel M. Taylor, also commended the donation, stating: "The SNAP Centre plays a crucial role in our education system, offering specialised services that make a real difference in the lives of children and families. I applaud the TCI Boat Club for their ongoing commitment to education and inclusion, and for demonstrating the power of community in supporting our nation’s future.”
The SNAP Center remains dedicated to providing essential support, education, and resources for children with special needs.
Donations such as this ensure the Centre can continue to expand services and create meaningful opportunities for students and their families.
IMF says reserve coverage of monetary union of Curaçao and Sint Maarten remains adequate
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) says the current account deficit of the Monetary Union of Curaçao and Sint Maarten is expected to gradually improve but remains elevated, while reserve coverage remains adequate.
The IMF executive board has just concluded the 2025 Article IV consultation discussions with Curaçao and Sint Maarten, noting that after a widening in 2024 driven by construction-related imports in Curaçao, the current account deficit for the Union is expected to narrow toward 10 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP).
The Washington-based financial institution said that the deficit would continue to be financed by private investment inflows and decumulation of assets held abroad, while international reserves are projected to remain stable and adequate.
“The Union’s external position was weaker than the level implied by medium-term fundamentals and desirable policies. The assessment is subject to uncertainty given a significant measurement gap with respect to mirror data,” the IMF said.
It said monetary policy remains appropriately anchored on maintaining the currency peg. The Central Bank of Curaçao and Sint Maarten (CBCS) has kept its benchmark rate unchanged since late 2024, following earlier cuts in line with United States monetary policy.
However, the IMF notes that the transmission of monetary policy to bank lending and deposit rates remains weak, largely due to excess liquidity and the absence of active interbank and government securities markets.
It said lending rates have declined, and credit growth is now driven almost entirely by mortgages in Curaçao, with real overall credit growth being negative in the Union.
The IMF said that financial sector risks are contained, but macroprudential surveillance needs to step up as mortgage lending accelerates.
“Banks are well-capitalized and highly liquid, though profitability falls somewhat behind the regional median and sector concentration remains elevated. Risks have further declined with the resolution of ENNIA and continued progress on the CBCS’s reform agenda.
“However, the rapid growth in mortgage credit—especially in Curaçao—warrants close monitoring and closing of data gaps to identify potential vulnerabilities in household balance sheets and prevent overheating in the real estate sector.”
The IMF said that the CBCS is making progress in developing macroprudential tools, including countercyclical capital buffers and limits on loan-to-value and debt-service-to-income ratios, to safeguard stability.
The Washington-based financcial institution said that the Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) frameworks of Curaçao and Sint Maarten need significant improvements.
“Close cooperation and more effort are required from all stakeholders to swiftly address the shortcomings identified by CFATF’s mutual evaluation and exit the CFATF’s enhanced follow-up process.
“Given an extensive catalogue of measures, work on lower hanging fruits should be expedited in the coming months, including ongoing operationalization of beneficial ownership registers, together with both islands’ chambers of commerce.
“To increase the effectiveness of both countries’ AML/CFT frameworks, preventive measures need to be strengthened on the part of high-risk entities such as casinos,” the IMF added.
Source-CMC
UN official says Haiti needs urgent support
The Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Tom Fletcher, Wednesday ended a visit to Haiti stressing that the French-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country needs urgent support amid immense suffering.
UN Stéphane Dujarric, speaking at the daily news briefing, told reporters that prior to his departure, he visited a centre that provides support for women and girls who are survivors of gender-based violence.
Dujarric said that at the Kay Fanm (Women’s House) support centre, he met women who survived brutal sexual attacks and lost their families and homes in the violence.
The organization, which is supported by the UN Population Fund, is providing essential medical services and psychosocial support, Dujarric said, adding “I think recently we told you of the horrific level of gender-based atrocities going on in Haiti.
“Yesterday, he visited the Hôpital Universitaire La Paix, the only public hospital in Port-au-Prince able to handle complex cases that remains open and accessible to people in need,” Dujarric said, noting that the facility has been forced to reduce its services, including maternal care.
He said at a displacement site in the capital where many have sought safety from rising insecurity, Fletcher listened to people whose lives have been destroyed by brutal violence. Living conditions are extremely difficult, with many families displaced multiple times in search of safety.
“The Under-Secretary-General stressed that people there want healthcare, they want clean water, they want education for their children, and they just want a chance to rebuild their lives,” Dujarric said, quoting Fletcher as saying “the world must do better for them”.
Fletcher also visited a youth centre, where he met young people once trapped by violence who are learning new skills.
While there, he also met with many government officials, including the Prime Minister, Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, and Laurent Saint-Cyr, the President of the Transitional Presidential Council. He also met humanitarian partners and members of the diplomatic community.
Source- CMC
West Indies & Sri Lanka U19 Cricket Continues Today
In a breathtaking finish that encapsulated the drama of youth cricket, Sri Lanka Under-19s snatched a heart-stopping one-wicket victory from the jaws of defeat against West Indies Under-19s in the second Youth ODI at the Coolidge Cricket Ground on Tuesday.
Chasing a modest target of 202, the young Sri Lankans seemed to be cruising before late wickets set up a grandstand finish, ultimately clinching victory with two overs and a single wicket to spare to level the seven-match series at a game apiece.
The hosts, having been dismissed for 201 in 47.5 overs, will rue a missed opportunity after their bowlers fought valiantly to defend a below-par total.
The innings was built almost solely on the back of a magnificent 82 from captain Joshua Dorne, who provided the backbone of the West Indian effort.
His knock could not have come at a better time, as the host seemed to have made the wrong call to bat first, after they lost two wickets for just six runs with both openers, Zachary Carter and Micah Greenidge, back in the pavilion for one and nought respectively.
Dorne found minor support from Brendan Boodoo, who chipped in with 28 and Jonathan van Lange, 26, but the innings lacked a major partnership, consistently pegged back by the Sri Lankan attack.
Vigneshwaran Akash was the chief destroyer, his leg-spin proving too much for the middle order as he returned impressive figures of 3 for 30.
In reply, Sri Lanka’s chase was anchored by a composed 45 from captain Vimath Dimsara, who steadied the innings after consistent wickets, which saw Sri Lanka in a precarious position of 98 for four.
Useful contributions followed from Chamika Heenatigala 30 and a crucial, unbeaten 20 from Sethmika Seneviratne, who held his nerve in the dying stages to guide his team home.
The West Indies bowlers, led by Carter’s 3 for 42 and a double strike from all-rounder Boodoo with 2 for 27, threw everything at the visitors, creating intense pressure that very nearly forced a two-nil lead in the series.
The teams will go at it again on Thursday September 11,2025 in the third game of the series at the same venue.
Source-CMC
Trinidad and Tobago’s formidable team announced for World Championships in Tokyo
A powerful four-athlete team, headlined by 2024 Olympic finalists Keshorn Walcott and Jereem Richards, is set to carry the nation’s hopes at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan.
The national contingent, announced by the National Association of Athletics Administrations (NAAATT), will depart on September 6 for the global meet, which runs from September 13 to 21.
The team boasts a blend of seasoned experience and exciting, upward-trending talent, with each member aiming to make a deep run into the finals.
Leading the charge is the formidable duo of Walcott and Richards. Walcott, the iconic javelin thrower, will look to harness his Olympic experience to launch himself onto the podium once again.
Meanwhile, Jereem Richards, a model of power and consistency, enters the Men’s 400m with the singular goal of converting his top-level speed into a world medal.
They are joined by the rapidly improving sprinter Leah Bertrand. Fresh off setting personal bests in both the 100m and 200m this season, the Olympic semi-finalist is poised for a breakthrough. Her ambition is clear: to power her way into her first-ever global final in either event.
Completing the athletic lineup is multi-event specialist Tyra Gittens, who will focus solely on the Women’s Long Jump. Riding high from a bronze medal win at the recent NACAC Championships, Gittens brings renewed confidence and sharp form to the pit, targeting a top-eight finish on the world’s biggest stage.
The NAAATT has expressed its full support for the team, extending its best wishes to the athletes and officials as they prepare to represent the red, white, and black with pride and pursuit of excellence in Tokyo. The team is scheduled to return on September 22.
Source-CMC
Nepal turmoil adds to India's woes in South Asia
Nepal has become the third country in India's immediate neighbourhood to see a violent uprising topple its government in recent years.
Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli resigned after more than 20 people died in clashes with police during anti-government demonstrations triggered by a social media ban.
A nationwide curfew is in place and the army is attempting to bring the situation under control after protesters stormed parliament and set fire to the homes of several politicians.
For many, the scenes in Kathmandu were reminiscent of the turmoil that gripped Bangladesh last year, and Sri Lanka in 2022.
Though Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are also India's close neighbours in South Asia, Delhi's relationship with Kathmandu is special because of historic people-to-people, economic and strategic ties.
Nepal shares a largely open border of more than 1,750km (466 miles) with five Indian states; Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Sikkim, Bihar and West Bengal.
Delhi is keenly watching developments across the border, with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi swiftly reacting to the unfolding events.
"The violence in Nepal is heart-rending. I am anguished that many young people have lost their lives," Modi wrote in a post on X on Tuesday.
Stressing that "stability, peace and prosperity of Nepal are of utmost importance", he appealed to "all my brothers and sisters in Nepal to support peace".
Modi also chaired an emergency security meeting with his cabinet colleagues on Tuesday to discuss the situation.
Charlie Kirk dies after shot while visiting Utah university, Trump says
Charlie Kirk, the founder of the conservative youth activist organization Turning Point USA, has died after he was shot during an event at Utah Valley University on Wednesday, President Donald Trump said.
"The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is dead," Trump said on social media. "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!"
A single shot was fired on the Orem campus toward Kirk, a visiting speaker, shortly after noon, the school said.
"He was hit and taken from the location by his security," the university said.
A suspect in the shooting remains at large, according to Orem police, which said they are supporting Utah Valley University in the investigation. The university had previously said a suspect was in custody.
Kirk, 31, was taken to a hospital after being shot, according to Turning Point USA, saying, "We are praying for him at this time."
Trump posted on social media earlier: "We must all pray for Charlie Kirk, who has been shot. A great guy from top to bottom. GOD BLESS HIM!"
"It's horrific. It's one of the most horrible things I've ever seen," Trump told ABC News chief Washington correspondent Jonathan Karl.
FBI and ATF agents are on the scene, according to Attorney General Pam Bondi.
FBI Director Kash Patel said the agency "stands in full support of the ongoing response and investigation."
Utah Valley student Luke Pitman, who witnessed the shooting, told Salt Lake City ABC affiliate KTVX that he heard a "big bang."
"We thought it was confetti. Then, everyone started ducking down," he told the station. "And then, I look over at Charlie Kirk and I see blood coming from his neck."
Utah Sen. Mike Lee said he is "tracking the situation at Utah Valley University closely."
"Please join me in praying for Charlie Kirk and the students gathered there," he said on social media.
Vice President JD Vance also said on X, "Say a prayer for Charlie Kirk, a genuinely good guy and a young father."
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said he is being briefed "following the violence directed at Charlie Kirk" during the conservative political activist's visit to the campus.
"Those responsible will be held fully accountable. Violence has no place in our public life. Americans of every political persuasion must unite in condemning this act," he said on X.
The university was the first stop this fall for Turning Point USA's "American Comeback Tour," which is traveling to multiple college campuses around the country.
Utah Valley University's campus is closed and classes have been canceled until further notice, the school said.
"There is no call to shelter in place at this time," Orem police said. "If you see something suspicious, please report it to police dispatch by calling 911 or the non-emergency number."
The incident sparked immediate condemnation from leaders on both sides of the political aisle.
"The attack on Charlie Kirk is horrifying and this growing type of unconscionable violence cannot be allowed in our society," Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, said on X.
California's Gavin Newsom, a fellow Democratic governor, said on X that the "attack on Charlie Kirk is disgusting, vile, and reprehensible. In the United States of America, we must reject political violence in EVERY form."
Republican Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo said the "attack was sickening and heartbreaking, and there is no place -- ever -- for violence in American politics."
Source- ABC
Ed Sheeran's will makes provisions for a posthumous album that his wife will curate
Starting with his new one, Play, Ed Sheeran's next series of albums will all be named after the buttons on a stereo, such as Rewind, Pause, Fast Forward and, eventually, Stop. But Ed says there's one more album in that series -- and it'll come out after he's dead.
Speaking to The Zane Lowe Show on Apple Music, Ed explains that he has plans in his will for the release of an album called Eject. "Cherry gets to pick the tracks for it," he tells Zane, referring to his wife.
According to Ed, the idea is for her to choose the 10 best songs of his entire career, starting from the age of 18, and release them. "You know how posthumous albums come out, but they're sort of unplanned?" Ed explains. "I want to sort of make a plan."
When Zane replies, "You want the estate to take care of and do it properly?," Ed says, "Yeah. And I'll talk to Cherry [about it] throughout my life ... 'I really like this one. I really like this one. I really like this one.'"
Ed points out that "you never know" when your life will end so, as he puts it, "I don't want to go and someone just to jumble up stuff and put it out. I want it to be planned."
Elsewhere in the interview, Zane asks Ed why he thinks, given his massive success, that he hasn't won more Grammys -- he only has four. Ed replies, "Because the music industry is a massive school playground, and there are the cool kids and the uncool kids and I've always been on the other side."
Source- ABC
Sabrina Carpenter thanks fans for #1 album: 'Luckiest girl in the world'
Sabrina Carpenter took to Instagram on Wednesday to thank fans for sending her new album, Man's Best Friend, straight to #1 on the Billboard 200.
"you guys have made Man’s Best Friend my second #1 album and my highest debut ever. that is very surreal!!!" she wrote, alongside a collection of behind-the-scenes photos and video of the making of the LP.
"i feel so lucky to have such beautiful love and support all around me. making this album with Jack [Antonoff], Amy [Allen] and John [Ryan] was one of the most pure wholesome electric times in my life and to see the way you are all resonating with it just makes me feel like the luckiest girl in the world," she continued.
"Thank you for listening (top to bottom!!!) and thank you for bringing this album into your lives and having such a damn good time with it, I’m having fun too :’)," she concluded. "i love you i love you i love you."
On her Instagram Story, Sabrina also marked the anniversary of the release of her single "Skinny Dipping," which came out Sept. 9, 2021 — several years before she became a global pop superstar. "4 years since skinny dipping making me emotional!" she noted, along with a still from the song's video.
In addition, Sabrina reposted TikToks from fellow musicians who are having fun with some of the songs on the new album: Joe Jonas made one set to her song "Nobody's Son," while the group HAIM used "House Tour" for a video set on their tour bus. Alex Warren's wife, Kouvr, used "When Did You Get Hot?" to show her and Alex's glow-up for the MTV VMAs.
Source- ABC