Utah's governor, in impassioned remarks, urges Americans to find 'off-ramp' from political violence

WASHINGTON (AP) — Utah Gov. Spencer Cox is making an impassioned plea for Americans and young people in particular to use the horror of Charlie Kirk’s public assassination as an inflection point to turn the country away from political violence and division. Cox spoke Friday at a news conference announcing authorities had a suspect in the conservative activist's killing in custody. Cox says this is a moment to make a choice: escalate or “find an off-ramp.” The two-term Republican governor has, throughout his political career, issued pleas for bipartisan cooperation and drawn national attention for his empathetic remarks. Cox says the suspect in Kirk’s killing had become “more political” before Wednesday’s shooting.

What to know about the killing of Charlie Kirk, the co-founder of Turning Point USA

Authorities have arrested a 22-year-old Utah man in the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. “We got him,” Gov. Spencer Cox told reporters at a news conference Friday announcing the arrest of Tyler Robinson in Wednesday’s killing of Kirk during an outdoor debate at Utah Valley University. Authorities say Robinson, a student at a different college, was taken into custody Thursday night. Robinson’s father recognized him from images released by authorities and encouraged him to turn himself in, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing investigation. Cox says Robinson’s family said Robinson had been critical of Kirk.

Man arrested in Charlie Kirk's killing had no known criminal history, had become 'more political'

ST. GEORGE, Utah (AP) — The family of the young Utah man accused of shooting Charlie Kirk has told authorities he had recently become “more political” and recounted a dinner table conversation where they discussed whether the conservative activist was spreading hate. That’s according to a probable cause statement released Friday. A judge ordered Tyler James Robinson held without bail. Utah state records show the 22-year-old is registered to vote but not affiliated with a political party. His address is listed as his parents’ home in a suburb outside of St. George in southern Utah. Social media posts made by his mother through 2022 show an active family that spent time outdoors. It wasn’t immediately clear whether Robinson had a lawyer.

ICE officer fatally shoots suspect after being dragged by car near Chicago, officials say

CHICAGO (AP) — The Department of Homeland Security says an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer fatally shot a suspect who tried to evade arrest in a Chicago suburb by driving his car at officers and dragging one of them. The officer was attempting to arrest a man Friday with a history of reckless driving who had entered the country illegally. The department says the man refused orders and drove his car at the officers. One officer was hit and dragged, prompting him to open fire. Both the officer and the suspect were taken to a hospital, where the suspect was pronounced dead. ICE says the incident occurred in Franklin Park, amid an ongoing enforcement operation in Chicago.

Nepal has first woman prime minister as president dissolves parliament and sets March elections

KATHMANDU, Nepal (AP) — Nepal’s president has appointed former Supreme Court Chief Justice Sushila Karki as interim prime minister. President Ram Chandra Poudel also has dissolved parliament and set elections for March 5. Karki is the first woman to head the South Asian country’s government. The changes follow massive protests that caused the collapse of the previous administration. Karki was sworn in Friday. She was a popular figure while serving as the court’s only female chief justice in 2016 and 2017. Street demonstrations that began Monday in Kathmandu over a social media ban turned violent and  prompted the resignation of the previous prime minister.

Rubio meets Qatar's prime minister before visiting Israel in a delicate balance with two allies

WASHINGTON (AP) — Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Qatar’s prime minister Friday before he visits Israel this weekend. It shows how the Trump administration is trying to balance relations between key Middle East allies days after Israel targeted Hamas leaders in a strike on Doha. The trip to Israel is a show of support for the increasingly isolated country before the United Nations holds likely contentious debate on the creation of a Palestinian state. Trump and special envoy Steve Witkoff had dinner with the Qatari premier later Friday. The Trump administration is walking a delicate line between two major allies after Israel's strike in Doha, where Hamas leaders had gathered to consider a U.S. proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza.

A powerful 7.4 magnitude earthquake strikes near the east coast of Russia’s Kamchatka region

MOSCOW (AP) — A powerful 7.4 magnitude earthquake has struck near the east coast of Russia’s Kamchatka region. The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake’s epicenter was 111.7 kilometers east of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, and had a depth of 39 kms, according to the USGS. The Pacific Tsunami Warning System briefly said there was a threat of a possible tsunami from the earthquake but later dropped the threat from its website. The Japan Meteorological Agency said warnings were issued to coastal areas about a slight change in sea levels, but that means the likelihood of damage is minimal.

Fed Governor Lisa Cook claimed 2nd residence as 'vacation home,' undercutting Trump fraud claims

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook referred to a condominium she purchased in June 2021 as a “vacation home” in a loan estimate. That characterization that could undermine claims by the Trump administration that she committed mortgage fraud. President Donald Trump has sought to fire Cook “for cause,” relying on claims that Cook claimed both the condo and another property as her primary residence simultaneously. Trump is trying to reshape the central bank, in part to orchestrate a steep cut to interest rates. Documents obtained by The Associated Press also showed that on a second form submitted by Cook to gain a security clearance, she described the property as a “second home.”

Israeli strikes on Yemen's Houthi rebels damage residential homes, forcing families to live in ruins

ADEN, Yemen (AP) — Israel’s deadly airstrikes this week targeting Iran-backed rebels in Yemen have damaged residential areas in the country’s capital of Sanaa, leaving many houses in ruins and residents unable to afford repairs on their own. Wednesday’s strikes followed a drone launched by the Houthi rebels earlier that breached Israel’s multilayered air defenses and hit a southern Israeli airport. In Sanaa, where Yemen’s yearslong civil war has impoverished many, residents told The Associated Press they cannot afford any major repairs and that the local authorities are not offering compensation or help with reconstruction.

Trump says he’ll send National Guard to Memphis, escalating his use of troops in US cities

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — President Donald Trump says he'll send the National Guard to Memphis, Tennessee, to address crime concerns there. The president told Fox News on Friday that “the mayor is happy” and “the governor is happy” about the pending deployment. Democratic Mayor Paul Young pushed back on Trump’s assertion, saying “I did not ask for the National Guard and I don’t think it’s the way to drive down crime.” Tennessee's Republican Gov. Bill Lee confirmed the deployment was coming and said he planned to speak with the president Friday to work out details of the mission. Trump has also mused about sending troops to New Orleans, another majority-Black city in a Republican-leaning state.