Hegseth orders about face on Pentagon’s slipping grooming standards
The Pentagon unveiled a new overhaul of grooming standards to further ensure service members are ‘clean-shaven’ this week. War Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered that troops needing a medical exemption can retain facial hair for one year as long as they are following a plan to treat the condition. After that, they must remove facial hair or face separation. “The Department must remain vigilant in maintaining the grooming standards which underpin the warrior ethos,” Hegseth wrote in an Aug. 20 memo made public on Monday. Leadership will also be required to conduct a review of how grooming standards have changed over the last decade. FEMALE MILITARY RECRUITS SURGE ACROSS ALL SERVICE BRANCHES “The grooming standard set by the U.S. military is to be clean-shaven and neat in presentation for a proper military appearance,” Hegseth said, according to the statement by chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell. “Commanders must apply consistent criteria and appropriately consider the department’s interests in safety and uniformity when authorizing individual exceptions,” Parnell added. The memo did not mention whether troops would still be allowed to sport a mustache, as they have been for decades. Hegseth’s office did not return a request for clarification in time for publication. Most shaving waivers are for troops diagnosed with pseudofolliculitis barbae, or PFB, a condition where the hair curls back toward the skin after shaving and causes irritation. HEGSETH TEARS UP RED TAPE, ORDERS PENTAGON TO BEGIN DRONE SURGE AT TRUMP’S COMMAND Hegseth’s memo did not address religious accommodations. The Army began granting beard exemptions in 2017 after pressure from Sikh soldiers, for whom uncut facial hair is a religious requirement. Some troops soon tested the policy’s boundaries. In 2018, one soldier won approval for a beard by claiming adherence to the Norse Pagan faith, identifying himself as a Heathen. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP In 2019, Army Spc. John Hoskins pushed the limits by applying for a religious exemption and claiming to belong to the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, a faith known as “Pastafarianism.” He was denied. The Army announced an update to its grooming standards this week, also defining authorized hairstyles and ponytail lengths for female soldiers, who are permitted to wear only clear nail polish.
Liberal professors’ group backs faculty speech after Charlie Kirk assassination, silent on condemning attack
The nation’s leading professors’ group defended faculty speech rights after the assassination of Turning Point USA (TPUSA) founder Charlie Kirk, but stopped short of condemning his killing. Rather, the American Association of University Professors (AAUP), founded in 1915, called for leaders of universities to avoid “political pressure” to fire faculty members over comments made about the conservative powerhouse in the aftermath of his death. “The AAUP notes with great alarm the rash of recent administrative actions to discipline faculty, staff, and student speech in the aftermath of the murder of Charlie Kirk,” the AAUP wrote in a statement provided to Fox News Digital. “We write to remind leaders of colleges and universities of their fundamental duty to protect academic freedom and the absolute necessity to ensure that the freedom to discuss topics of public import without constraint is not curtailed under political pressure.” ‘SLEEPING GIANT’ LIKELY WOKE UP FOR TURNING POINT USA AFTER CHARLIE KIRK’S ASSASSINATION “At a moment when higher education is threatened by forces that seek to destroy it and its role in a democratic society, the anticipatory obedience shown by this rush to judgment must be avoided,” it continued. Prior to that statement Monday, the AAUP only released a statement last week condemning “the recent and recurring bomb and terroristic threats against multiple historically Black colleges and universities,” but no separate statement condemning Kirk’s assassination. The AAUP has 44,000 members, according to its website. The AAUP published material about TPUSA in October 2024, accusing the organization of engaging in “racist, homophobic and transphobic speech while on campus,” and described Kirk as a “professional provocateur,” saying he “has built a career perfecting how to provoke college students,” and is “actively hostile to higher education.” CHARLIE KIRK ASSASSINATION: TIMELINE OF UTAH CAMPUS SHOOTING DETAILS ATTACK, MANHUNT FOR SUSPECT Faculty were also encouraged to hold administrators accountable for bringing Kirk or TPUSA events to campus through petitions, votes of no confidence and pressuring donors. Professors were advised to add syllabus language or push for campus policies restricting unauthorized classroom filming, as TPUSA-affiliated students have recorded left-wing professors and submit their names to the organization’s Professor Watchlist. When asked by Fox News Digital whether it stands by its past descriptions of Kirk and TPUSA — and how it balances support for faculty with the principles of academic freedom and free speech for groups it opposes — the AAUP said: “Colleges and universities should exercise restraint and not interfere with legitimate invitations to outside speakers, except in the most extraordinary circumstances where strong evidence of imminent danger justifies rescinding an invitation.” The AAUP did not answer a follow-up question about whether TPUSA and Kirk fall under the “extraordinary circumstances” where “danger” justifies revoking an invitation to college campuses. The AAUP has long staked out progressive positions in higher education, frequently siding with faculty who oppose restricting Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI). Last year, the group also reversed its longtime opposition to academic boycotts policies. PASTOR RECALLS LAST MOMENTS WITH CHARLIE KIRK: ‘AMERICAN MARTYR’ Conservative leaders, including Vice President JD Vance, White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Stephen Miller and Attorney General Pam Bondi have demanded accountability for rhetoric they argue fosters hostility toward conservatives and can escalate into violence. Meanwhile, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox has urged an “off-ramp” from the cycle of political antagonism. FBI Director Kash Patel said people who know primary suspect Tyler Robinson, including family members, have told investigators that Robinson “subscribed to left-wing ideology.” Family members also allege Robinson expressed hatred for Kirk’s views. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Since Kirk’s assassination on Sept. 10 on his “American Comeback Tour,” multiple higher education educators and administrators have been investigated, suspended or fired for social-media posts celebrating or justifying his death. Fox News Digital has reached out to the Department of Education for comment.
Gun seller takes stand in Trump assassination attempt trial with key testimony about rifle purchase
The Justice Department plans to call a fresh lineup of witnesses Wednesday as the federal trial of Ryan Routh, accused of attempting to assassinate President Donald Trump at his West Palm Beach golf club in 2024, enters its eighth day. Prosecutors told the court they expect testimony from Ronnie Jay Oxendine, the man who allegedly sold Routh the rifle tied to the case, as well as multiple FBI agents and specialists. The list includes Patrick M. Lantry, a task force officer with the FBI; Aaron Thompson; Matthew S. Perry, an FBI special agent; Garett L. Foo, an FBI special agent; and Laura E. Haller, an FBI special agent and digital forensic examiner. Also scheduled are Lazaro and Samuel Plata, whose testimony will be aided by two Spanish-English translators in the courtroom. FBI PHONE EXTRACTIONS, DNA TESTIMONY HEADLINE DAY 7 OF RYAN ROUTH TRIAL Tuesday’s proceedings centered on forensic evidence from Routh’s alleged phones and DNA. Jurors saw WhatsApp messages and texts allegedly recovered from Routh’s seized devices, including one exchange where Routh wrote, “I hate him… shan’t get elected again,” referring to Trump. Another message read, “If I can help just let me know what to do.” TRUMP TRIAL CONTINUES WITH MORE FBI TESTIMONY AFTER RIFLE CALLED ‘PREPARED TO FIRE’ FBI experts also testified that Routh’s DNA was strongly linked to the rifle grip, a bag, a glove and other items prosecutors say were found in the alleged sniper’s nest. Trump-appointed Judge Aileen Cannon kept a tight rein on the pace of testimony, pressing prosecutors to shorten questioning and reminding Routh — who is representing himself — to stop interrupting. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP With prosecutors expected to rest their case by the end of the week, Wednesday’s testimony could prove pivotal as jurors weigh the government’s evidence against the self-represented defendant who will bring his witnesses forward beginning next week.
Kash Patel faces House grilling after tense Senate clashes over Kirk assassination
FBI Director Kash Patel is testifying before House lawmakers on Wednesday in a hearing focused on the bureau’s dramatic reforms in the second Trump administration and the recent assassination of Charlie Kirk. Patel is facing questions in five-minute rounds from Republicans and Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee as part of an annual oversight hearing, marking the director’s second appearance in as many days on Capitol Hill after he testified before the Senate one day prior. House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, raised what he said was a weaponization of the FBI against conservatives, reviving concerns his committee regularly brought up during FBI Director Christopher Wray’s tenure. Jordan praised Patel for what he said was a course correction. “No more spying on parents at school board meetings,” Jordan said in his opening remarks. “No more pre-dawn raids on pro-life Catholics, no more retaliation against whistle-blowers, and he’s given us information that Chris Wray didn’t. Maybe said better, he’s given us information that Chris Wray wouldn’t.” ‘MOST TRANSPARENT’ FBI EVER: PATEL UPDATES SENATE ON KIRK ASSASSINATION PROBE Kirk’s killing at Utah Valley University last week has been both unifying for House lawmakers and at times led to criticisms about Patel’s handling of the investigation and sparked broader debate over the driving causes of political violence. Jordan opened the hearing by calling Kirk a “good man” and “happy warrior,” while ranking member Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., called the shooting incident horrifying and shocking and said, “We all stand together categorically against political violence in America.” Early on in the hearing, Patel faced sharp rebukes and tough questions from House Democrats about the controversial firings of senior FBI officials and Jeffrey Epstein, a sore subject for the Trump administration amid a rocky rollout of information related to the disgraced financier’s sex trafficking case. Patel addressed similar concerns from Senate Democrats one day prior, as they zeroed in on Patel’s limited law enforcement experience and accusations that the firings of top FBI officials had happened without proper due process. FBI INVESTIGATING ‘A LOT MORE’ THAN 20 PEOPLE IN DISCORD CHATS WITH SUSPECTED CHARLIE KIRK ASSASSIN Patel, a former public defender who worked in the first Trump administration, opened the hearing by addressing Kirk’s assassination, taking credit for being the one to decide to release video footage of the suspect, Peter Robinson, which Patel said prompted the suspect’s parents to recognize him. Patel also warned there was little more he could say at this stage, aside from what authorities have already revealed about Robinson, in light of his ongoing state prosecution for murder and the lingering possibility of federal charges. “It’s important for this FBI to be transparent without jeopardizing our investigation,” Patel told the committee. Raskin criticized Patel for initially misstating on social media that the alleged killer was in custody, echoing concerns raised by Sen. Pete Welch, D-Vt., and other Democrats during the Senate hearing. “When Charlie Kirk was assassinated, while his killer was still on the loose, you decided you didn’t need to be at FBI headquarters in Washington to work with your team,” Raskin said. “While the chaotic manhunt unfolded, you spent your evening dining in a swanky midtown Manhattan restaurant and tweeting out false information that the subject of the shooting was in custody, a statement you had to retract one hour later.” Patel has conceded that he could have worded his social media post better but that he does not regret it because he issued it in the name of transparency. The Department of Justice’s handling of Epstein’s sex trafficking case is another topic expected to crop up throughout the hearing. President Donald Trump’s base has long demanded more information about the case, but in a turnabout, DOJ leadership said this year there was nothing further they could disclose to the public about it.
Donald Trump’s first vice president snags new job
Former Vice President Mike Pence is heading back to school. Pence, who served as vice president during President Donald Trump’s first term in the White House but who later ran against his former boss in the 2024 Republican presidential primaries, is joining George Mason University’s Schar School of Policy and Government as a distinguished professor of practice. The northern Virginia-based school said that Pence will begin teaching undergraduate courses and public-facing seminars starting in next year’s spring semester. The school, in a Tuesday announcement, also said that Pence will be available via moderated discussions and mentorship programs with students pursuing degrees in political science, law, public administration and related fields. FORMER VICE PRESIDENT PENCE RECEIVES JFK ‘PROFILE IN COURAGE’ AWARD Schar School Dean Mark Rozell said that the former vice president’s “disciplined approach to communication and his deeply rooted conservative philosophy provide a principled framework to discussions of federalism, the separation of powers, and the role of values in public life.” And Pence, in a statement, said that “throughout my years of public service, I have seen firsthand the importance of principled leadership and fidelity to the Constitution in shaping the future of our nation. I look forward to sharing these lessons with the next generation of American leaders and learning from the remarkable students and faculty of George Mason University.” CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS REPORTING, ANALYSIS AND OPINION ON MIKE PENCE The now-66-year-old Pence, a former congressman, was Indiana’s governor when Trump named him his running mate in 2016. For four years, Pence served as the loyal vice president to Trump during the president’s first term in the White House. However, everything changed on Jan. 6, 2021, as pro-Trump protesters — including some chanting “hang Mike Pence” — stormed the U.S. Capitol aiming to upend congressional certification of now-former President Joe Biden’s Electoral College victory, a process overseen by Pence in his constitutional role as vice president. The attack on the Capitol took place soon after Trump spoke to a large rally of supporters near the White House about unproven claims that the 2020 election was “rigged” due to massive “voter fraud.” Pence rejected the advice of the Secret Service that he flee the Capitol, and after the rioters were eventually removed from the Capitol, he resumed his constitutional role in overseeing the congressional certification ceremony. The former vice president has repeatedly refuted Trump’s claim that he could have overturned the presidential election results. Despite that, Trump loyalists have never forgiven Pence, whom they view as a traitor, for refusing to assist the president’s repeated efforts to overturn the 2020 election results. Pence in June 2023 launched a presidential campaign of his own, joining a large field of challengers to Trump gunning for the 2024 GOP nomination, becoming the first running mate in over 80 years to run against their former boss. Pence ran on a traditional conservative platform, framing the future of the Republican Party against what he called the rise of “populism” in the party. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Among the slim anti-Trump base of the Republican Party, Pence received praise for his courage during the attack on the Capitol, often receiving thanks at town halls during his campaign for standing up to Trump. While Pence regularly campaigned in the crucial early-voting states of Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina, his White House bid never took off. Struggling in the polls and with fundraising, he suspended his campaign just four and a half months after declaring his candidacy.
Senate Republicans brand looming crisis a ‘Schumer Shutdown’ as Democrats dig in
Senate Republicans are calling foul on Senate Democrats’ opposition to the GOP’s short-term plan to keep the government funded, calling it hypocritical. House Republicans on Tuesday unveiled their seven-week funding extension, known as a continuing resolution (CR), which congressional Republicans argue is as “clean” as can be. That means that the bill largely lacks any additional spending or policy riders. But Senate Democrats have dug in deep on their rejection of the proposal, increasing the likelihood of a government shutdown come Sept. 30. It comes after Democrats previously warned Republicans not to use government funding as a political weapon when Democrats were in charge of the Senate. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., will ultimately need Democrats to pass a government funding patch. GOP UNVEILS PLAN TO AVERT GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN, INCLUDES $30M SECURITY HIKE AFTER CHARLIE KIRK KILLING He argued that under former President Joe Biden’s administration, Senate Democrats overwhelmingly voted for 13 CRs. “Ninety-six percent of the Democrats voted for all 13 of those,” Thune said. “This is, again, a new practice that’s been invented because of Trump Derangement Syndrome, and because these Democrats hate giving this president anything.” Senate Republicans are now titling the possibility of a partial government shutdown as a “Schumer Shutdown,” given Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and his caucus’ unwillingness to support the GOP-authored bill. “Now, all of a sudden, they can’t vote for it? It’s ridiculous,” Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., told Fox News Digital. “That’s exactly where they’re coming from, and it should be called the ‘Schumer Shutdown.’” HOUSE REPUBLICANS SPLIT WITH TRUMP TEAM OVER ‘VERY FRUSTRATING’ FUNDING FIGHT AS SHUTDOWN LOOMS When asked why Democrats were entrenched against the Republicans’ bill, given their previous push for clean stopgaps, Schumer argued that “we’re in a much different situation” after the GOP passed President Donald Trump’s “big, beautiful bill,” the $9 billion clawback of foreign aid and public broadcasting funding, and the administration’s move to claw back an additional $5 billion in foreign aid. He also ripped Thune and House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., for not sitting down with him and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., to negotiate a spending deal. Thune countered that his office is right around the corner from Schumer’s. “They even refuse to have bipartisan negotiations,” Schumer said. “We’ve always had bipartisan negotiations on this. Johnson put his bill in. No Democratic input, and that is why the Republicans are heading for us for a shutdown. We don’t want it.” Part of the disagreement with the bill also stemmed from Trump’s edict that Republicans shouldn’t “even bother” with Democrats and that “we have to get Republican votes.” Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, told Fox News Digital that all Democrats needed was for Trump “to take back what he said about the process needing to be more partisan rather than less.” “If they go it alone, then it’s not unreasonable for us to say, ‘We wish you the best, but you won’t be getting our votes,’” Schatz said. Despite the saber-rattling, they haven’t said precisely what they dislike about the House GOP’s offering. They say it’s not so much about what’s in the bill, but rather what’s not. TRUMP’S FOREIGN AID CLAWBACK RATTLES SENATE AHEAD OF FUNDING FIGHT The top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee, Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., told Fox News Digital that it was a “lack of language on impoundments and the pocket rescission, things like that that we’ve been talking about.” The other part is that the CR does not contain an extension to ObamaCare premium subsidies passed during the COVID-19 pandemic that are set to expire in December. Democrats argue that an extension should be attached to the stopgap because insurance providers are teeing up new insurance rates ahead of the Nov. 1 open enrollment start date for the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins, R-Maine, argued that lawmakers could wait until November to move on an extension. “You can wait,” Collins said. “Because… they can keep the eligibility criteria steady for next year and have the revised eligibility.” While Schumer and Democrats are expected to give Thune headaches throughout the ordeal, he may have to wrangle some fiscal hawks weary of CRs on his side of the aisle, too. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., argued that the spending levels set in the House GOP’s bill were the same as those set under Biden, which Republicans “all decried in the election.” “So any Republican who votes for this, I guess maybe they should apologize to Biden for being against his spending levels,” Paul said. “Because they’re actually voting for his spending levels now.” And Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., told Fox News Digital that he hadn’t thoroughly reviewed the text of the bill yet, but he noted he was not typically a fan of funding extensions. “The goal was always that we start having a real budgeting process, and so it’s really frustrating that we haven’t done that,” he said.
Trump, Vance, other prominent political figures to speak at Sunday stadium event honoring Charlie Kirk
President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other prominent political figures are slated to speak Sunday at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, during an event honoring Charlie Kirk. The website fightforcharlie.com also lists other speakers, including Kirk’s widow Erika Kirk, Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., War Secretary Pete Hegseth, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, Donald Trump Jr., Stephen Miller and Sergio Gor. The website indicates additional names will be announced. State Farm Stadium has fixed seating for 63,400 and can expand to over 73,000 for larger events, according to the venue. The attendance for Sunday’s NFL game between the Arizona Cardinals and Carolina Panthers was 64,003. HUNDREDS MOURN CHARLIE KIRK AT KENNEDY CENTER MEMORIAL: ‘HONOR HIS UNMATCHED LEGACY’ The dress code is “Sunday Best- Red, White, or Blue,” according to the site. “Seating will be first come, first served based on stadium capacity. Overflow seating will be available at the Desert Diamond Arena,” according to a frequently asked questions section which also notes that the “event will be live-streamed on Charlie Kirk’s Rumble account.” TRUMP EYES REMARKS AT CHARLIE KIRK MEMORIAL IN ARIZONA, BLAMES LEFT FOR SUSPECT’S RADICALIZATION Kirk, a prominent conservative activist and commentator, was assassinated in Utah last week. He was only 31 years old and would have turned 32 next month. ERIKA KIRK DELIVERS MOVING TRIBUTE TO HUSBAND, CHARLIE: ‘I WILL NEVER LET YOUR LEGACY DIE’ CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “Charlie was a servant of the Lord, a devoted husband to Erika, a loving father to two beautiful children, and a leader of uncommon clarity and strength,” a portion of a tribute on fightforcharlie.com notes. “He did not seek influence for its own sake. Instead, he poured his life into others, raising up a generation who would be bold in their faith, steadfast in their love of freedom, and unafraid to defend their country.”
Charlie Kirk shooting: Tyler Robinson’s messages and charges against him
Tyler Robinson, the suspect in the killing of conservative US activist Charlie Kirk appeared virtually on Tuesday for his first court hearing since his arrest Earlier, Utah prosecutors said they would seek the death penalty for Robinson, as they cited evidence against him, including alleged text messages in which he appeared to confess to carrying out the assassination on September 10 during an even that Kirk was hosting at Utah Valley University (UVU). “I had enough of his hatred,” Robinson, 22, told his flatmate and romantic partner when asked why he had committed the murder, according to transcripts filed by prosecutors with the court. “Some hate can’t be negotiated out,” he added. Here is what we know: What happened on Tuesday? Prosecutors laid out extensive evidence against Robinson, much of it taken from his own communications with friends and family. He also made his first court appearance on Tuesday in Provo, Utah, via a video feed from the county jail where he is being held. Robinson showed up unshaven and wearing what appeared to be a green suicide-prevention smock. He showed no expression, but listened closely as the judge read the charges and warned he could face the death penalty. Robinson spoke only once, to state his name. In court filings, prosecutors began to lay out the case against Robinson, who was at large for more than 30 hours before turning himself in. The document also revealed text messages from Robinson to his flatmate, whom Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray described as “a biological male who was involved in a romantic relationship with Robinson”. Utah Governor Spencer Cox earlier described the flatmate as a person “transitioning from male to female”. This screengrab from the Utah court livestream shows Tyler Robinson attending a court appearance remotely from his jail cell in Provo, Utah [AFP] What was Tyler Robinson charged with? Gray said Robinson was charged with seven offences, including aggravated murder and felony discharge of a firearm. Advertisement Gray said he would seek the death penalty, citing the threat to others at the UVU event where Kirk was shot, especially children, in addition to Kirk’s killing. The 10-page charging document filed by Utah officials contains details on the reasoning behind the charges against Robinson. Here are the charges against Robinson: Count 1: Aggravated murder, which pertains to Robinson’s shooting and killing of Charlie Kirk in a manner that exposed others, in addition to Kirk, to a great risk of death. Count 2: Felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily injury, a first-degree felony. Count 3: Obstructing justice, a second-degree felony, for moving and concealing the rifle used in the shooting. Count 4: Obstructing justice, which pertains to Robinson’s removal and hiding of the clothing he wore. Count 5: Witness tampering, which pertains to Robinson’s statement to his flatmate telling him to delete his incriminating text. Count 6: Witness tampering, a third-degree felony, for directing his flatmate to stay silent if police questioned him. Count 7: Violent offence committed in the presence of a child, which pertains to Robinson’s shooting of Kirk in the presence of children under the age of 14, who were visible at the event. Why did Robinson’s mother suspect her son was the perpetrator? The document added to previous details that authorities had made public about Robinson soon after his arrest, detailing how his family and flatmate had cooperated with investigators and played a key role in convincing the suspect to turn himself in. Prosecutors said his mother told investigators that the day after the shooting, she saw a photo of the suspect on the news and thought it looked like her son. “Robinson’s mother called her son and asked him where he was. He said he was at home sick… [She] expressed concern to her husband that the suspected shooter looked like him. Robinson’s father agreed,” the document said. “His father also believed that the rifle that police suspected the shooter used matched a rifle that was given to his son as a gift.” Robinson eventually spoke to his father on the phone and implied that he would kill himself, according to prosecutors. With the help of a family friend who is a retired deputy sheriff, his parents persuaded him to surrender to authorities. Robinson’s mother said that over the last year or so, her son had become more political and leaned more to the left, “becoming more pro-gay and trans-rights oriented”. Robinson “began to date his roommate, a biological male who was transitioning genders”, his mother added. Utah County Attorney Jeffrey Gray speaks during a news conference about the charges [Jim Urquhart/Reuters] What else did the text messages reveal? On the day of the shooting, Robinson texted his flatmate and partner, the document said, telling them to “drop what you’re doing, look under my keyboard”. Advertisement When the flatmate looked under Robinson’s keyboard, they found a note. The note read: “I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk and I’m going to take it.” After reading the note, the flatmate texted Robinson back: “What????????????? You’re joking, right????” Robison: “I am still ok my love, but am stuck in orem for a little while longer yet. Shouldn’t be long until I can come home, but I gotta grab my rifle still. To be honest I had hoped to keep this secret till I died of old age. I am sorry to involve you.” Flatmate: “you weren’t the one who did it right????” Robinson: “I am, I’m sorry” Flatmate: “I thought they caught the person?” Robinson: “no, they grabbed some crazy old dude, then interrogated someone in similar clothing. I had planned to grab my rifle from my drop point shortly after, but most of that side of town got locked down.” A charging document in the State of Utah v Tyler Robinson [Provo District Court/Handout via Reuters] Robinson also told his flatmate that the rifle he allegedly used belonged to his grandfather. He sent several messages about how he might retrieve it while police
Brazil’s Bolsonaro taken to hospital after feeling unwell
Convicted ex-leader rushed to a hospital in Brasilia after falling ill at his residence, his son says. Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who was sentenced to prison last week for plotting a coup, has been rushed to hospital after falling ill while under house arrest, his son said. The emergency visit on Tuesday is the 70-year-old former army captain’s second trip to the hospital since his conviction. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list Bolsonaro has had recurring intestinal issues since he was stabbed while campaigning in 2018, including at least six related surgeries, the last being a 12-hour-long procedure in April. He won the election that year, and governed from 2019 to 2023. “Bolsonaro felt unwell a short while ago, with a severe bout of hiccups, vomiting, and low blood pressure,” his son, Flavio, wrote on X. “He was taken to DF Star [Hospital] accompanied by correctional police officers who guard his home in Brasília, as it was an emergency,” he wrote. Bolsonaro visited the same hospital on Sunday, and had eight skin lesions removed and sent for biopsies. A panel of Supreme Court justices on Thursday found the former leader guilty of plotting a coup after he lost the 2022 election to current President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. They sentenced him to 27 years and three months in prison. The sentence, however, does not immediately send him to jail. The court panel has up to 60 days to publish the ruling after the decision, and once it does, Bolsonaro’s lawyers have five days to file motions for clarification. Bolsonaro has denied wrongdoing and said he is the victim of political persecution. United States President Donald Trump has also called the trial a “witch-hunt”, and imposed tariffs of 50 percent on Brazilian goods, citing the case against Bolsonaro, among other issues. Advertisement The former Brazilian leader has been under house arrest since August for allegedly courting pressure on the courts from Trump. He had already been wearing an ankle monitor. Separately on Tuesday, a federal court ordered Bolsonaro to pay 1 million reais ($188,865) in damages for collective moral harm stemming from racist comments he made while in office. The inquiry originated from Bolsonaro’s statements to a Black supporter who approached him in May 2021 and asked to take a picture. The former president joked, saying he was seeing a cockroach in the man’s hair. He also compared the man’s hairstyle with a “cockroach breeding ground”, implying the hair was unclean. There was no immediate comment from his legal team after the latest court order. His defence had previously told media outlets that the former leader’s remarks were intended as jokes rather than racist statements, denying any intent to cause offence. Public opinion in Brazil, meanwhile, is split on Bolsonaro’s prison sentence on coup charges, and the far-right politician’s allies have laid out several plans to overturn or reduce the jail term. In the Congress, they have rallied behind an amnesty bill, building on the campaign to free hundreds of his supporters who stormed and vandalised government buildings in January 2023. Sao Paulo Governor Tarcisio de Freitas, a leading Bolsonaro ally, has also promised repeatedly to pardon the former leader if he were to become president in next year’s election. A court has barred Bolsonaro from running for office until 2030, though the former president insisted earlier this year that he would compete in the 2026 presidential election. For his part, Lula, the incumbent president, has hailed the sentencing of Bolsonaro as a “historic decision” that followed months of investigations that uncovered plans to assassinate him, the vice president and a Supreme Court justice. Bolsonaro’s conviction, he also said, “safeguards” Brazil’s institutions and the democratic rule of law. Adblock test (Why?)
Top aid groups call on world leaders to stop Israel’s genocide in Gaza
MSF, Islamic Relief and Save the Children are among the 22 aid groups issuing a joint call for world leaders to ‘urgently intervene’ to stop Israel’s genocide. The heads of more than 20 aid agencies working in Gaza have called on world leaders to “urgently intervene” in the war, following the first-ever determination by a United Nations commission that Israel is perpetrating genocide in the devastated territory. With an estimated 65,000 Palestinians killed in Israeli attacks so far in Gaza, including more than 20,000 children, the agencies warned early on Wednesday that almost 1 million more people are now “on the precipice of an even deadlier period in Gaza’s story if action is not taken”. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list “The inhumanity of the situation in Gaza is unconscionable,” the groups said in a joint statement, warning that Israel’s latest efforts to forcibly displace Gaza City’s population through a ground occupation are aimed at making the enclave’s largest urban area “deliberately… uninhabitable”. “As humanitarian leaders, we have borne direct witness to the horrifying deaths and suffering of the people of Gaza. Our warnings have gone unheeded and thousands more lives are still at stake,” the agencies said. “More than half a million people are starving. Famine has been declared and is spreading. The cumulative impact of hunger and physical deprivation means people are dying every day,” they said. Despite the well-documented horrors that have unfolded for almost two years under Israel’s siege of the Palestinian territory and enforced starvation of the enclave’s civilian population as they try to survive under military fire, “world leaders fail to act”. “States must use every available political, economic, and legal tool at their disposal to intervene. Rhetoric and half measures are not enough. This moment demands decisive action,” the aid groups said. Advertisement “History will undoubtedly judge this moment as a test of humanity,” they said, adding that UN members must take action, or their “complicity” will set a “dangerous precedent for the future”. Christopher Lockyear, a signatory to the joint statement and the secretary-general of Doctors Without Borders, known by its French acronym MSF, said on Monday that Israel’s military onslaught in Gaza amounts to “the systematic destruction of a people”. MSF is clear, Lockyear said: “Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza and doing so with absolute impunity.” “The Israeli military has attacked everything and everyone in Gaza,” he added. Signatories to the statement also include Islamic Relief Worldwide, ActionAid International, CARE International, Handicap International, Save the Children International, the Norwegian Refugee Council and Médecins du Monde. On Tuesday, Navi Pillay, the chairwoman of the UN’s Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, said the world body had determined that Israel was carrying out genocide in Gaza. Among those most responsible, based on their own statements, for the genocide were Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former Minister of Defence Yoav Gallant and President Isaac Herzog, Pillay said. The UN Commission, in its report, “concludes that the Israeli authorities and Israeli security forces have the genocidal intent to destroy, in whole or in part, the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip”. Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs took to social media to call the report’s findings “fake” and accused the authors of “serving as Hamas proxies”. Adblock test (Why?)