Suspect left note saying he planned to kill Charlie Kirk, later confessed in texts, prosecutor says

PROVO, Utah (AP) — The man accused of assassinating conservative activist Charlie Kirk at a Utah university has been charged with aggravated murder. The charge means 22-year-old Tyler Robinson could face the death penalty if convicted of killing Kirk at Utah Valley University in Orem. Robinson appeared briefly before a judge by video from jail. Kirk was gunned down Sept. 10 as he spoke with students and died soon after. Prosecutors allege Robinson shot Kirk in the neck with a bolt-action rifle from the roof of a nearby campus building. Robinson also is charged with felony discharge of a firearm and obstructing justice. Prosecutors say Robinson’s DNA was found on the trigger of the gun used to kill Kirk.

Trump's threat to target 'radical left' after Kirk killing raises fears he's trying to silence foes

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is escalating threats against what he calls the "radical left" after the assassination of Charlie Kirk. His administration is considering classifying some groups as domestic terrorists and revoking tax-exempt status for certain nonprofits. These actions are fueled by anger over Kirk's death, even though there's no evidence linking these groups to the killing. Nonprofit political groups worry Trump's words and actions will send a chill through the donor community. Critics argue this could suppress opposition, while supporters see it as a necessary crackdown on political violence.

Foreign disinformation about Charlie Kirk's killing seeks to widen US divisions

WASHINGTON (AP) — Russia moved quickly to exploit conservative activist Charlie Kirk's shooting death at a Utah college, with groups linked to the Kremlin spreading false and misleading claims that experts say are designed to incite violence. Russia, China and other countries have long seized on high-profile events in the United States to portray the country as dangerous, polarized and dysfunctional. Experts say it's part of an effort to undermine American democracy by inflaming partisan differences. Utah Gov. Spencer Cox has warned about foreign bots spreading false claims and urged people to ignore fear-inducing misinformation.

Social media has us in its grip and won't let go. The Charlie Kirk killing is a case study

Charlie Kirk's mastery of social media was key to his becoming a force in conservative politics. The extent to which Kirk's killing and its aftermath have played out on those forums shouldn't come as a surprise. Links to videos of Kirk being shot flooded social media platforms like X, TikTok and Instagram before his death was even announced. Since then, social media has become the town square for increasingly strident debate and the forum for which conservatives have sought to punish people they feel aren't offering Kirk the proper respect. Divisive posts and conspiracy theories are pushed forward through algorithms on social media sites, since they drive interest to advertisers.

Israeli military begins its ground offensive in Gaza City as thousands of Palestinians flee

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel has launched its offensive in Gaza City, vowing to overwhelm a city already in ruins from nearly two years of war. Vehicles strapped with mattresses and other belongings clogged a coastal road as thousands of Palestinians fled Tuesday. Hundreds of thousands more remain. The operation into the largest Palestinian city further escalates a conflict that has roiled the Middle East and likely pushes any ceasefire farther out of reach. The military wouldn’t offer a timeline for the offensive, but Israeli media suggested it could take months. It says it aims to “destroy Hamas’ military infrastructure.”

Prosecutors already have dropped nearly a dozen cases from Trump's DC crime surge, judge says

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s law-enforcement intervention in the nation’s capital has led to federal charges against more than 50 people over the past month. A frustrated judge says prosecutors already have dropped charges in at least 11 of those cases. U.S. Magistrate Judge Matthew Sharbaugh expressed concern on Tuesday that the flurry of dismissed cases is wasting the district court’s resources. He questioned whether Justice Department prosecutors are making charging decisions before cases are properly investigated and vetted. Trump claims his emergency 30-day deployment of federal agents and National Guard members is making the streets safer for District of Columbia residents.

FBI Director Kash Patel clashes with skeptical Democrats at contentious Senate hearing

WASHINGTON (AP) — FBI Director Kash Patel is defending his record and pushing back on criticism that he has politicized law enforcement. The appearance Tuesday before the Senate Judiciary Committee was the first oversight hearing of Patel’s young but tumultuous tenure. It provided a high-stakes platform for him to try to demonstrate that he is the right person to lead the FBI at a time of internal upheaval and mounting concerns about political violence after the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Patel boasted that the man suspected in Kirk’s killing was arrested within 33 hours, but acknowledged he should have been more careful in a statement about the investigation.

Federal Reserve wrestles with how many interest rate cuts to make and how fast

WASHINGTON (AP) — With the Federal Reserve widely expected to reduce its key interest rate by a quarter-point to about 4.1%, economists and Wall Street investors will be looking Wednesday for signs of how deeply the Fed might cut rates in the next few months. There are typically two different approaches the Fed takes to lowering borrowing costs: Either a measured pace that typically reflects a modest adjustment to its key rate, or a much more rapid set of cuts as the economy deteriorates in an often-doomed effort to stave off recession. For now, most economists expect the central bank will take the recalibration approach.

King Charles III prepares to welcome Trump for historic second state visit at Windsor Castle

WINDSOR, England (AP) — The carriages are being polished, the family silver is being laid out, and diamonds are being dusted off as King Charles III prepares to host U.S. President Donald Trump on an unprecedented second state visit to Britain. The backdrop for day one is Windsor Castle, a historic royal residence near London with gilded interiors, crenelated towers and priceless artworks. It’s a scene that has seemed to enchant Trump, who ditched his trademark bluster for respectful understatement when he described the invitation to Windsor as “a great, great honor.”  That's because a state visit is an experience you just can't buy.

Robert Redford, Oscar-winning director, actor and indie patriarch, dies at 89

Robert Redford has died at 89. The Hollywood golden boy who became an Oscar-winning director, liberal activist and godfather for independent cinema died in Utah on Tuesday. His publicist didn't immediately provide a cause of death. After rising to stardom in the 1960s, Redford was one of the biggest stars of the ’70s with such films as “The Candidate,” “All the President’s Men” and “The Way We Were.” Redford played the wily outlaw opposite Paul Newman in 1969’s “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,” a box-office smash from which Redford’s Sundance Institute and festival got its name.