Charlie Kirk's widow, Erika, has given a tearful address in which she thanked first responders for trying to save her husband's life after he was fatally shot on a Utah university campus.

In a livestream, standing beside her husband's empty chair that he used during podcast tapings, she quoted the Bible and spoke about his love for President Donald Trump, Vice-President JD Vance, the United States, and the couple's two children.

Kirk, a right-wing activist, was shot dead on Wednesday during an open-air speaking event in Orem, Utah. His suspected killer, Tyler Robinson, was arrested on Thursday night after surrendering to police.

In her remarks, Mrs Kirk pledged: "My husband's voice will remain".

The broadcast from Turning Point USA's headquarters in Arizona began with several minutes of silence, as the camera framed Charlie Kirk's empty chair.

As his widow started speaking, she looked upwards and whispered a silent prayer.

She then thanked first responders who tried to save him, her husband's staff, and the White House.

"Mr President, my husband loved you. And he knew that you loved him too," she said tearfully, also thanking Vance and his wife Usha for accompanying the casket back to Arizona.

"But most of all, Charlie loved his children. And he loved me. With all his heart. And he made sure I knew that everyday."

Addressing "evil-doers," Mrs Kirk said: "You have no idea the fire that you have ignited within this wife, the cries of this widow will echo around the world like a battle cry.

"They should all know this: If you thought that my husband's mission was powerful before you have no idea, you have no idea what you just have unleashed across this entire country and this world."

Her husband's tour of US university campuses will continue throughout the fall, and in the years ahead, she said, without offering further details. His podcast will also continue.

Erika Kirk also spoke of their one-year-old son and three-year-old daughter, saying that she was at a loss for how to explain their father's sudden death.

"Baby, daddy loves you so much. Don't you worry. He's on a work trip with Jesus," she told their daughter.

Mrs Kirk, 36, and their children were reportedly in the audience when her husband was shot.

• PROFILE: The conservative influencer who rallied a youth movement
• Who is Tyler Robinson, the shooting suspect?

Erika Kirk is a businesswoman and former Miss Arizona USA winner who met her husband in 2018. The couple were engaged by 2020 and wed less than a year later.

She is currently studying for a doctorate in Bible Studies, has launched a ministry programme and hosts the Midweek Rise Up podcast focused on Biblical leadership. Mrs Kirk also acts and models, and has a faith-based clothing line.

Although the children and the couple's home life are regular fixtures on her social media pages, they never publish images showing their children's faces.

Charlie Kirk, 31, a controversial figure in American political discourse, has been hailed by many as the future of American conservatism with a knack for energising young conservatives.

By mobilising the youth vote, he was an instrumental organiser in Donald Trump's Maga coalition and helped return Trump to the White House for a second term.

Kirk was a strong supporter of gun rights, vehemently opposed abortion, was critical of transgender rights and promoted false claims about Covid-19.

His views were polarising on the college campuses where he held large events, and his provocative speeches would draw crowds of vocal opponents as well as fans.

His supporters said he was relatable and understood their concerns. But his views drew fierce liberal criticism, and his critics said Kirk's rhetoric hurt people - especially those in the LGBTQ+ community.

• Young fans and critics debate Charlie Kirk's political legacy

Kirk was speaking at Utah Valley University during Turning Point USA's The American Comeback Tour, a speaking engagement that took him to several college campuses throughout the states.

He was shot during his viral Prove Me Wrong debate while taking a question about gun violence and transgender people in the US.

Trump has announced that he will award Kirk a posthumous Presidential Medal of Freedom - the highest civilian honour a president can bestow - describing his friend and ally as a "giant of his generation and a champion of liberty".

The president said that Mrs Kirk "is absolutely devastated."

Turning Point USA, the organization Charlie Kirk founded when he was 18 years old, also referred to its co-founder as a "martyr" and "pioneer".

"Charlie was the ideal husband and the perfect father. Above all else, we ask you to pray for the Kirks after the incomprehensible loss they have suffered," the organization said in a statement to the BBC on Thursday.

Vice-President JD Vance flew to Salt Lake City, Utah, on Thursday to retrieve Kirk's casket and transport it to Phoenix, Arizona - where Kirk's family lives - on the vice-presidential aircraft, Air Force Two.

Vance and Second Lady Usha Vance travelled with Kirk's family and some of his friends to Arizona.

Officials at No 10 and the Foreign Office were aware of supportive emails between Lord Mandelson and paedophile Jeffrey Epstein when the prime minister initially defended the former ambassador on Wednesday, the BBC understands.

Sources stressed Sir Keir was not aware of the contents of the emails when he stood by Lord Mandelson at Prime Minister's Questions.

The BBC understands that a media enquiry outlining details of the messages between the pair was sent to the Foreign Office on Tuesday, and passed on to No 10.

Sir Oliver Robbins, the permanent under-secretary at the Foreign Office, asked Lord Mandelson about the emails on Tuesday, but did not receive a response until the following day.

Prime Minister's Questions takes place every Wednesday at midday while the House of Commons is sitting, with the prime minister facing questions from the leader of the opposition and other members of the House.

Lord Mandelson was sacked as the UK's ambassador to the US shortly before 11:00 on Thursday. Downing Street said the emails contained "new information" that was not known at the time of Lord Mandelson's appointment.

The full emails were published by Bloomberg and the Sun on Wednesday evening.

"I think the world of you and I feel hopeless and furious about what has happened," Mandelson wrote the day before Epstein reported to prison in 2008 for soliciting sex from a minor.

Mandelson added: "You have to be incredibly resilient, fight for early release... Your friends stay with you and love you."

In an interview with the Sun on Wednesday, Lord Mandelson said he felt a "tremendous sense of regret" that he had met Epstein, and that he "took at face value the lies that he fed me and many others".

The BBC earlier reported that Lord Mandelson's emails were sent from an old account to which he no longer had access. Officials cite this as the reason they had not been seen earlier.

In a statement announcing Lord Mandelson's dismissal, the Foreign Office said: "The emails show that the depth and extent of Peter Mandelson's relationship with Jeffrey Epstein is materially different from that known at the time of his appointment."

Following his sacking, Mandelson said being the UK's ambassador to the US had been "the privilege of my life".

It comes as Sir Keir faces growing pressure over his handling of Lord Mandelson's appointment as ambassador to the US.

Labour MP Clive Lewis, an outspoken voice on the Labour left, said Sir Keir "doesn't seem up to the job", adding that there was a "very, very dangerous atmosphere" among Labour MPs.

Another Labour MP, Jo White, said the "clock is ticking" for Sir Keir to turn polls around before local elections next May.

It also emerged that Jeffrey Epstein paid for Lord Mandelson's travel on two separate occasions in 2003 totalling more than $7,400 (£5,400), according to documents released by the US House of Representatives Oversight Committee.

Earlier this week, US lawmakers released an alleged "birthday book" containing messages sent to Jeffrey Epstein on his 50th birthday in 2003 - including one from Lord Mandelson.

In his letter, which features photos of the pair, Lord Mandelson described Jeffrey Epstein as his "best pal", and an "intelligent, sharp-witted man".

Coldplay celebrated the end of their record-breaking 10-show run at Wembley Stadium with a dazzling, multi-coloured night of musical magic.

Playing hits from every era of their 25-year career, they filled the stadium with light, and even indulged themselves with a giddy version of Whitney Houston's I Wanna Dance With Somebody. "This is the song I warm up to in the car park," joked singer Chris Martin.

The show closed the latest leg of their Music Of The Spheres Tour, which has circled the world four times since 2022. It is now the highest-attended tour in history, with more than 12m tickets sold.

On stage, Martin promised it would resume "somewhere in southern Africa in about 18 months".

Friday's show was held almost a week late, after a strike by London transport workers forced the band to postpone.

"I know it caused a lot of inconvenience for a lot of you," Martin told the crowd. "In return we're going to play a show fifteen times better than any show we've ever played before. That's the pledge."

They might not have achieved that goal - Coldplay have already set themselves a ridiculously high bar - but this was stadium stagecraft at its absolute finest.

The concert is a sensory overload, full of LED writstbands, raining confetti, laser lights, spinning inflatables, 3D glasses that turn everything into hearts and stars, and even a brief puppet show (the operators, Drew and Nicolette, happily got engaged during last Saturday's concert).

Martin is the glue that holds it together. He bounds across the stage like a puppy - or is it a youth pastor? - covering the length of the catwalk several times within the first few songs.

His plan isn't just to bridge the gap between the band and the audience, it's to dismantle it entirely.

"I see you," he says repeatedly, identifying uber-fans at the front and distant figures in the vertigo seats.

"I see you over here with a Brazilian flag. And I see you, too, in the top corner with lights on your bodies. You look like you're from the movie Tron."

It's a schtick, for sure, but it fosters an incredible sense of unity. Those LED wristbands play a huge part, too, making everyone in the audience part of a giant tapestry of light. And there's a communal euphoria in singing along to hits like Paradise, The Scientist, Yellow and Sky Full of Stars.

After the first 30 minutes, I realised that I'd barely looked at the giant screens above the stage.

The audience is the show.

That's a contrast to most stadium concerts, where the message is more like: "Look upon me, puny mortals, and be astonished by my divine talents and somewhat improbable physique."

Coldplay don't bother with any of that. Martin's bandmates Guy Berryman, Will Chamberlain and Jonny Buckland would rather that no-one noticed them at all. Instead, they'd rather make a fuss over their special guests.

In London, that means Venezuela's Simón Bolívar Orchestra - a group of youth players who've supported the band at all of their Wembley dates. They come out twice, for Viva La Vida and feelslikeimfallinginlove, twirling their cellos and jumping up and down as they provide the stirring string accompaniment.

Palestinian-Chilean singer Elyanna, meanwhile, hogs the spotlight during We Pray, hitting some quite extraordinary high notes.

Who has played the most shows at Wembley Stadium?

1. Coldplay - 16 nights on the Music of the Spheres tour, 2022-25*
2. Taylor Swift - Eight nights on the Eras tour, 2024
3. Take That - Eight nights on the Progress tour, 2011
4. Oasis - Seven nights on the Live '25 tour, 2025
5. Michael Jackson - Seven night on the Bad tour, 1988

* Including six nights in 2022 and 10 night in 2025

Musically, Coldplay's set-list is stacked. There's a thrilling version of Clocks that shudders with discordant guitar riffs before resolving into a powerful chorus; and an extended acoustic version of Sparks has fans swooning.

Something Just Like This, an abominable song on record, becomes a euphoric mini-rave on stage; while Fix You is simply majestic.

With the tour about to go on hiatus (or maybe because he keeps self-administering throat spray) Martin is on whimsical form.

He describes Coldplay as "the third best soft rock band in London"; randomly sings the opening lines of Wonderwall; and, during Paradise, invokes the dancehall star Shaggy, for no discernible reason.

"That song was by Shaggy," he declares, inaccurately.

Towards the end of the show, he stops everything to celebrate Buckland's 48th birthday, presenting the guitarist with a Lego Batmobile and promising, "I'll give you £1m if you build it before Fix You".

Then, preparing to play the album track Jupiter for the first time, he announces: "This could be terrible. But if it is terrible, don't worry, we're going to play Yellow in a minute.

"Will Champion could fart in the microphone, as long as we play Yellow."

Martin later admits that his sense of humour "gets me into trouble every day". But not as much trouble as married tech CEO Andy Byron, who was caught in a loving embrace with his HR executive on the giant screens of a Coldplay concert in the US earlier this year.

The moment - during part of the show where Martin serenades audience members with an improvised song - went viral, and has reportedly led to at least one divorce. So when the jumbotron section of the show starts on Friday, Martin issues a tongue-in-cheek disclaimer.

"Whatever happens here, stays here. Guaranteed. So if you've just embezzled the company funds, come on camera now. It's fine."

Before long, a young couple flashes up on the screen.

"Holy crap, don't put me through this again," the singer grimaces, only agreeing to play a song after they've flashed their wedding rings at the camera.

The spontaneity and humour is part of what makes every Coldplay show unique, even when most of the set is painstakingly planned out.

On Friday, fans at the final London date showed their appreciation.

During the final encore of All My Love, thousands of them unfolded paper red hearts and held them above their heads - the culmination of a secret online project organised by a German fan called Hannah.

It was a bittersweet moment. Fans know the band have a long break planned. And even if they use their gap year to make new music, Martin has announced it will be their final album.

"The Coldplay catalogue, as it were, finishes then," he told BBC Radio 2's Jo Whiley in 2021. "After that I think we will only tour."

On tonight's evidence, it doesn't matter.

They could play the same setlist for the next 100 years and fans would flock to every show.

See you there.

Coldplay setlist

• Higher Power
• Adventure of a Lifetime
• Paradise
• The Scientist
• Viva La Vida
• Hymn for the Weekend
• Jupiter
• I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)
• Charlie Brown
• Yellow
• Human Heart
• People of the Pride
• Clocks
• We Pray
• Infinity Sign
• Something Just Like This
• My Universe
• A Sky Full of Stars

Encore

• Sparks
• The Jumbotron Song
• Fix You
• Feelslikeimfallinginlove
• All My Love

More Nato countries will move their troops and fighter jets eastwards in response to Wednesday's unprecedented Russian drone incursion into Polish airspace.

Denmark, France and Germany have joined a new mission to bolster the military alliance's eastern flank. Other Nato allies are expected to take part later.

It came as the Kremlin said on Friday that peace talks with Kyiv were on "pause", with spokesman Dmitry Peskov saying: "You can't wear rose-tinted glasses and expect that the negotiation process will yield immediate results."

Political tensions have been high across Europe after Poland said 19 Russian drones had flown through its airspace on Wednesday. Some were shot down, while others crashed into fields and even a house in eastern Poland.

Russia's military said it had "no plans to target facilities" in Poland - but Polish and European leaders believe the incursion was deliberate.

According to the Danish defence ministry, Denmark will contribute two F-16 fighter jets to support Poland's air defence, and a warship.

"Denmark fully supports Poland in this situation," Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said. "We must not be naive. Putin will stop at nothing, and he is testing us. Therefore, it is crucial... Denmark is contributing to this."

France will contribute three Rafale fighter jets, and Germany will give four Eurofighters.

The UK is "fully committed" to help strengthen the Eastern Sentry, the Ministry of Defence said in a statement, adding that it will provide more details soon.

On Friday, European countries - and the US - stood by Poland during an urgent UN Security Council session in New York discussing Russia's drone incursion.

"The United States stands by our Nato allies in the face of these alarming airspace violations," acting US Ambassador to the UN Dorothy Shea said. "And rest assured, we will defend every inch of Nato territory.

She added that since Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin held a summit in Alaska nearly a month ago to discuss peace, "Russia has intensified its bombing campaign against Ukraine".

While addressing the UN on Friday, Poland's Secretary of State Marcin Bosacki held up photos of one of the downed drones, and a damaged house.

"We know - and I repeat - we know that it was not a mistake," he said.

The Netherlands and Czech Republic have already said they would send defences to Poland, while Lithuania will receive a German brigade and greater warning of Russian attacks on Ukraine that could cross over.

Germany also said it would "intensify its engagement along Nato's eastern border" and extend and expand air policing over Poland.

AstraZeneca has paused plans to invest £200m at a Cambridge research site in a fresh blow to the UK pharmaceutical industry.

The project, which was set to create 1,000 jobs, was announced in March 2024 by the previous government alongside another project in Liverpool, which was shelved in January.

Friday's announcement comes after US pharmaceutical giant Merck scrapped a £1bn UK expansion, blaming a lack of government investment, and as President Donald Trump pressures pharmaceutical firms to invest more in the US.

An AstraZeneca spokesperson said: "We constantly reassess the investment needs of our company and can confirm our expansion in Cambridge is paused."

Over the last 10 years, UK spending on medicines has fallen from 15% of the NHS budget to 9%, while the rest of the developed world spends between 14% and 20%.

Meanwhile, pharmaceutical companies have been looking to invest in the US following Trump's threats of sky-high tariffs on drug imports.

In July, AstraZeneca said it would invest $50bn (£36.9bn) in the US on "medicines manufacturing and R&D [research and development]".

Earlier this week Merck, which had already begun construction on a site in London's King's Cross which was due to be completed by 2027, said it no longer planned to occupy it.

The multi-national business, known as MSD in Europe, said it would move its life sciences research to the US and cut UK jobs, blaming successive governments for undervaluing innovative medicines.

AstraZeneca's announcement on Friday means none of the £650m UK investment trumpeted by the last government will currently happen.

The paused Cambridge project would have been an expansion of its existing Discovery Centre, which already hosts 2,300 researchers and scientists.

The stoppage comes after it scrapped plans to invest £450m in expanding a vaccine manufacturing plant in Merseyside in January, blaming a reduction in government support.

It said at the time that after "protracted" talks, a number of factors influenced the move, including "the timing and reduction of the final offer compared to the previous government's proposal".

Successive UK governments have pointed to life sciences as one of its most successful industries.

Former chancellor Jeremy sector said the sector was "crucial for the country's health, wealth and resilience" while Chancellor Rachel Reeves said AstraZeneca was one of the UK's "great companies" days before it scrapped its Liverpool expansion.

A 22-year-old from Utah has been arrested over the killing of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk, who was shot dead while on stage at a university event earlier this week.

Tyler Robinson was taken into custody late on Thursday after a 33-hour manhunt that ended after his father helped persuade him to surrender to police.

His arrest was first announced by President Donald Trump, who called for the suspect to face the death penalty.

The killing of Kirk, who was shot while debating students on Wednesday, has shocked Americans and laid bare the country's sharp partisan political divisions.

At a news conference on Friday, investigators said the suspect confessed to his father and said he would rather take his own life than surrender. The father then called a youth pastor who is a family friend.

Both men tried to calm the suspect down, police said. The pastor, who also serves as a court security officer, later called the US Marshals who detained the suspect at around 22:00 local time on Thursday.

Utah Governor Spencer Cox said surveillance images showed Robinson arriving on the campus of Utah Valley University around four hours before a shot rang out, killing Kirk and sending students running for cover.

The governor told journalists that when he was taken into custody, he was wearing clothing similar to what was seen on CCTV cameras at the scene of the shooting.

He added that investigators had interviewed a family member who said the suspect had become more political in recent years.

Cox said the family member had spoken of a recent incident when Robinson had mentioned that Kirk was coming to Utah and that he "was full of hate and spreading hate".

Cox said investigators had also spoken to a roommate of the suspect who had shown them messages with an account named "Tyler" on the messaging app Discord.

The messages referred to a need to retrieve a rifle from "a drop point" and the rifle being left in a bush, wrapped in a towel.

The FBI said on Thursday they had found the suspected weapon - an imported Mauser .30-06 bolt action rifle - wrapped in a towel in a wooded area near campus.

Cox told reporters that inscriptions had been found engraved on casings recovered with the rifle, which had a scope mounted on top of it.

The inscriptions included "hey fascist! CATCH!" and "O Bella ciao, Bella ciao"

Bella ciao means "goodbye beautiful" in Italian. It is also the title of a song dedicated to the Italian resistance who fought against the occupying troops of Nazi Germany.

The Utah governor said he was not aware of any potential further arrests in the investigation.

State prosecutors said they planned to file formal charges against Robinson on Tuesday.

He is accused of aggravated murder, obstruction of justice, and felony discharge of a firearm, according to a Utah County Sheriff inmate booking sheet, obtained by the BBC.

Students at Utah Valley University told the BBC they were relieved by the arrest.

The campus has been closed since the shooting on Wednesday afternoon - with yellow police tape and police vehicles blocking much of the school.

"He was apprehended in Washington County, which is where I'm from," said first-year student McKinley Shinkle. "I just feel deeply ashamed."

"I'm definitely relieved," added McKinley's cousin Anthony. "I'm just anxious now to hear his motives and why this happened."

Public records reviewed by the BBC suggest Robinson had in the past registered as an unaffiliated, or nonpartisan, voter in Utah. Matthew Carl Robinson, the suspect's father, and Amber Denise Robinson, the suspect's mother, are registered Republicans, according to state records.

Voting records indicate that he did not vote in the last two presidential elections, according to CBS News, the BBC's US partner. He was not old enough to vote in 2020.

The suspect lives in St George, Utah, near Zion National Park, about 250 miles (400km) south-west of the campus where Kirk was shot.

He is a third-year student in an electrical apprenticeship programme at Dixie Technical College in south-west Utah, where he lived, a spokesperson for Utah Valley University (UVU) tells the BBC.

Social media accounts indicate Robinson's father runs a kitchen countertop and cabinet installation business, while his mother is a social worker. The family is Mormon and active in the local church.

The past two weeks have been dreadful for Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), and the crisis at the car maker shows no sign of coming to an end.

A cyber attack, which first came to light on 1 September, forced the manufacturer to shut down its computer systems and close production lines worldwide.

Its factories in Solihull, Halewood, and Wolverhampton are expected to remain idle until at least Wednesday, as the company continues to assess the damage.

JLR is thought to have lost at least £50m so far as a result of the stoppage. But experts say the most serious damage is being done to its network of suppliers, many of whom are small and medium sized businesses.

The government is now facing calls for a furlough scheme to be set up, to prevent widespread job losses.

David Bailey, professor of business economics at Aston University, told the BBC: "There's anywhere up to a quarter of a million people in the supply chain for Jaguar Land Rover.

"So if there's a knock-on effect from this closure, we could see companies going under and jobs being lost".

Under normal circumstances, JLR would expect to build more than 1,000 vehicles a day, many of them at its UK plants in Solihull and Halewood. Engines are assembled at its Wolverhampton site. The company also has large car factories in China and Slovakia, as well as a smaller facility in India.

JLR said it closed down its IT networks deliberately in order to protect them from damage. However, because its production and parts supply systems are heavily automated, this meant cars simply could not be built.

Sales were also heavily disrupted, though workarounds have since been put in place to allow dealerships to operate.

Initially, the carmaker seemed relatively confident the issue could be resolved quickly.

Nearly two weeks on, it has become abundantly clear that restarting its computer systems has been a far from simple process. It has already admitted that some data may have been seen or stolen, and it has been working with the National Cyber Security Centre to investigate the incident.

Experts say the cost to JLR itself is likely to be between £5m and £10m per day, meaning it has already lost between £50m and £100m. However, the company made a pre-tax profit of £2.5bn in the year to the end of March, which implies it has the financial muscle to weather a crisis that lasts weeks rather than months.

'Some suppliers will go bust'

JLR sits at the top of a pyramid of suppliers, many of whom are highly dependent on the carmaker because it is their main customer.

They include a large number of small and medium-sized firms, which do not have the resources to cope with an extended interruption to their business.

"Some of them will go bust. I would not be at all surprised to see bankruptcies," says Andy Palmer, a one-time senior executive at Nissan and former boss of Aston Martin.

He believes suppliers will have begun cutting their headcount dramatically in order to keep costs down.

Mr Palmer says: "You hold back in the first week or so of a shutdown. You bear those losses.

"But then, you go into the second week, more information becomes available – then you cut hard. So layoffs are either already happening, or are being planned."

A boss at one smaller JLR supplier, who preferred not to be named, confirmed his firm had already laid off 40 people, nearly half of its workforce.

Meanwhile, other companies are continuing to tell their employees to remain at home with the hours they are not working to be "banked", to be offset against holidays or overtime at a later date.

There seems little expectation of a swift return to work.

One employee at a major supplier based in the West Midlands told the BBC they were not expecting to be back on the shop floor until 29 September. Hundreds of staff, they say, had been told to remain at home.

When automotive firms cut back, temporary workers brought in to cover busy periods are usually the first to go.

There is generally a reluctance to get rid of permanent staff, as they often have skills that are difficult to replace. But if cashflow dries up, they may have little choice.

Labour MP Liam Byrne, who chairs the Commons Business and Trade Committee, says this means government help is needed.

"What began in some online systems is now rippling through the supply chain, threatening a cashflow crunch that could turn a short-term shock into long-term harm", he says.

"We cannot afford to see a cornerstone of our advanced manufacturing base weakened by events beyond its control".

The trade union Unite has called for a furlough system to be set up to help automotive suppliers. This would involve the government subsidising workers' pay packets while they are unable to do their jobs, taking the burden off their employers.

"Thousands of these workers in JLR's supply chain now find their jobs are under an immediate threat because of the cyber attack," says Unite general secretary, Sharon Graham.

"Ministers need to act fast and introduce a furlough scheme to ensure that vital jobs and skills are not lost while JLR and its supply chain get back on track."

Business and Trade Minister Chris Bryant said: "We recognise the significant impact this incident has had on JLR and their suppliers, and I know this is a worrying time for those affected.

"I met with the chief executive of JLR yesterday to discuss the impact of the incident. We are also in daily contact with the company and our cyber experts about resolving this issue."

The breaking news was announced by US President Donald Trump on a morning television show.

"I think with a high degree of certainty, we have him," said Trump on the sofa of Fox & Friends on Friday morning in New York City. "In custody."

"Essentially, someone that was very close to him turned him in."

It was Trump, too, who first announced that his ally, Kirk, had died after he was shot in the neck at Utah Valley University on Wednesday.

At a press conference on Friday morning, officials identified the person in custody as 22-year-old Tyler Robinson.

• Follow live: Charlie Kirk suspect caught
• Obituary: Charlie Kirk

Utah Governor Spencer Cox told reporters that "a family member of Tyler Robinson reached out to a family friend who contacted the Washington County Sheriff's Office with information that Robinson had confessed to them".

Surveillance video shows the suspect arriving on campus at the university in a grey Dodge Challenger at 08:29 local time (14:29GMT) on the morning of the shooting, said Cox.

He said investigators had interviewed a family member who said the suspect had become more political in recent years.

Cox said: "The family member referenced a recent incident in which Robinson came to dinner prior to September 10, and in the conversation with another family member, Robinson mentioned Charlie Kirk was coming to UVU."

There was a mention of how "Kirk was full of hate and spreading hate".

Cox said investigators had also spoken to a roommate of the suspect who had shown them messages with an account named "Tyler" on the messaging app Discord.

The messages referred to a need to retrieve a rifle from "a drop point" and the rifle being left in a bush, wrapped in a towel.

The FBI said on Thursday they had found the suspected murder weapon - an imported Mauser .30-06 bolt action rifle - wrapped in a towel in a wooded area near campus.

Cox told reporters that investigators had found inscriptions engraved on casings recovered with the rifle, which had a scope mounted on top of it.

The inscriptions included "hey fascist! catch!" and "bella ciao" and "if you read this, you are gay, LMAO".

Bella ciao means "goodbye beautiful" in Italian. It is also the title of a song dedicated to the Italian resistance who fought against the occupying troops of Nazi Germany.

The Utah governor said he was not aware of any potential further arrests in the investigation.

Utah County Sheriff Mike Smith said it had been a "vast, complicated and very, very fast paced investigation" and one that had been "very taxing".

FBI Director Kash Patel told reporters the crime scene was large, but had been processed quickly and forensic evidence had been recovered.

He said the first federal agents had arrived on the crime scene some 16 minutes after Kirk was shot.

"Just last night, the suspect was taken into custody at 10pm local time," Patel said.

The arrest came after the FBI released grainy pictures of a "person of interest" wanted for the shooting.

Investigators appealed for the public's help identifying the suspect, who was wearing sunglasses, Converse shoes and a "distinctive" long-sleeved black top featuring an American flag and an eagle.

On Wednesday, Patel said another potential suspect had been detained for questioning before being released.

Another person - seen in viral videos on social media - was taken into custody immediately after the shooting, but was determined not to be the gunman.

The breaking news was announced by US President Donald Trump on a morning television show.

"I think with a high degree of certainty, we have him," said Trump on the sofa of Fox & Friends on Friday morning in New York City. "In custody."

"Essentially, someone that was very close to him turned him in."

It was Trump, too, who first announced that his ally, Kirk, had died after he was shot in the neck at Utah Valley University on Wednesday.

At a press conference on Friday morning, officials identified the person in custody as 22-year-old Tyler Robinson.

• Follow live: Charlie Kirk suspect caught
• Obituary: Charlie Kirk

Utah Governor Spencer Cox told reporters that "a family member of Tyler Robinson reached out to a family friend who contacted the Washington County Sheriff's Office with information that Robinson had confessed to them".

Surveillance video shows the suspect arriving on campus at the university in a grey Dodge Challenger at 08:29 local time (14:29GMT) on the morning of the shooting, said Cox.

He said investigators had interviewed a family member who said the suspect had become more political in recent years.

Cox said: "The family member referenced a recent incident in which Robinson came to dinner prior to September 10, and in the conversation with another family member, Robinson mentioned Charlie Kirk was coming to UVU."

There was a mention of how "Kirk was full of hate and spreading hate".

Cox said investigators had also spoken to a roommate of the suspect who had shown them messages with an account named "Tyler" on the messaging app Discord.

The messages referred to a need to retrieve a rifle from "a drop point" and the rifle being left in a bush, wrapped in a towel.

The FBI said on Thursday they had found the suspected murder weapon - an imported Mauser .30-06 bolt action rifle - wrapped in a towel in a wooded area near campus.

Cox told reporters that investigators had found inscriptions engraved on casings recovered with the rifle, which had a scope mounted on top of it.

The inscriptions included "hey fascist! catch!" and "bella ciao" and "if you read this, you are gay, LMAO".

Bella ciao means "goodbye beautiful" in Italian. It is also the title of a song dedicated to the Italian resistance who fought against the occupying troops of Nazi Germany.

The Utah governor said he was not aware of any potential further arrests in the investigation.

Utah County Sheriff Mike Smith said it had been a "vast, complicated and very, very fast paced investigation" and one that had been "very taxing".

FBI Director Kash Patel told reporters the crime scene was large, but had been processed quickly and forensic evidence had been recovered.

He said the first federal agents had arrived on the crime scene some 16 minutes after Kirk was shot.

"Just last night, the suspect was taken into custody at 10pm local time," Patel said.

The arrest came after the FBI released grainy pictures of a "person of interest" wanted for the shooting.

Investigators appealed for the public's help identifying the suspect, who was wearing sunglasses, Converse shoes and a "distinctive" long-sleeved black top featuring an American flag and an eagle.

On Wednesday, Patel said another potential suspect had been detained for questioning before being released.

Another person - seen in viral videos on social media - was taken into custody immediately after the shooting, but was determined not to be the gunman.

The Metropolitan Police has suspended nine officers and referred itself to the watchdog following a BBC investigation into Charing Cross station.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said it was investigating the behaviour of 11 individuals based at the central London station.

The accusations, which feature in a forthcoming BBC Panorama documentary, include excessive use of force, discriminatory and misogynistic comments, and failing to report or challenge inappropriate behaviour, the police watchdog said.

The officers range in rank from police constable to sergeant.

The allegations - which relate to the conduct of nine Met officers, a former Met officer and a serving designated detention officer - are said to have taken place both on and off duty between August 2024 and January 2025.

The IOPC said it had received a referral from another force relating to the conduct of a former Met officer who was previously based at Charing Cross and has since transferred.

The IOPC in 2022 found "disgraceful" behaviour in the ranks at the same police station, including a homophobic, racist and misogynistic Whatsapp group.

The white armoured police van speeds into the eastern Ukrainian town of Bilozerske, a steel cage mounted across its body to protect it from Russian drones.

They'd already lost one van, a direct hit from a drone to the front of the vehicle; the cage, and powerful rooftop drone jamming equipment, offer extra protection. But still, it's dangerous being here: the police, known as the White Angels, want to spend as little time in Bilozerske as possible.

The small, pretty mining town, just nine miles (14km) from the front line, is slowly being destroyed by Russia's summer offensive. The local hospital and banks have long since closed. The stucco buildings in the town square are shattered from drone attacks, the trees along its avenues are broken and splintered. Neat rows of cottages with corrugated roofs and well-tended gardens stream past the car windows. Some are untouched, others burned-out shells.

A rough estimate is that 700 inhabitants remain in Bilozerske from a pre-war population of 16,000. But there is little evidence of them - the town already looks abandoned.

An estimated 218,000 people need evacuation from the Donetsk region, in eastern Ukraine, including 16,500 children. The area, which is crucial to the country's defence, is bearing the brunt of Russia's invasion, including daily attacks from drones and missiles. Some are unable to leave, others unwilling. Authorities will help evacuate those in front-line areas, but they can't rehouse them once they're out of danger. And despite the growing threat from Russian drones there are those who would rather take their chances than leave their homes.

The police are looking for the house of one woman who does want to leave. Their van can't make it down one of the roads. So, on foot, a policeman goes searching, the hum of the drone jammer and its invisible protection receding as he heads down a lane.

Eventually he finds the woman under the eaves of her cottage, a sign on her door reading "People Live Here". She has dozens of bags and two dogs. It's too much for the police to carry: they already have evacuees and their belongings crammed inside the white van.

The woman faces a choice - leave behind her belongings, or stay. She decides to wait. There will be another evacuation team here soon and they will take her belongings too.

To stay or go is a life-or-death calculation. Civilian casualties in Ukraine reached a three-year high in July of this year, according to the latest available figures from the United Nations, with 1,674 people killed or injured. Most occur in front-line towns. The same month saw the highest number killed and injured by short-range drones since the start of the full-scale invasion, the UN said.

The nature of the threat to civilians in war has changed. Where once artillery and rocket strikes were the main threat, now they face being chased down by Russian first person view (FPV) drones, that follow and then strike.

As the police leave town, an old man pushing a bicycle appears. He's the only soul I see on the streets that day.

Most of those remaining in front-line towns are older people, who make up a disproportionate number of civilian casualties, according to the UN.

He tells me to move to the side of the road, out of the way of non-existent traffic. Volodymyr Romaniuk is 73 years old and is risking his life for the two cooking pots he's collected on the back of his bike. His sister-in-law's house was destroyed in a Russian attack, so he came today to salvage the pots.

Isn't he afraid of the drones, I ask. "What will be, will be. You know, at 73 years old, I'm not afraid anymore. I've already lived my life," he says.

He's in no rush to get off the streets. A former football referee, he slowly removes a folded card from his jacket pocket and shows me his official Collegium of Football Referees card. It's dated April 1986 – the month of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster.

He's from the west of Ukraine and could return there out of harm's way. "I stayed here for my wife," he tells me. She's had multiple surgeries and wouldn't be able to make the journey. And with that, he leaves, and heads home to care for his wife, the two metal pots on the back of his bike rattling as he moves along the empty street.

Slovyansk is further back from the front, 25km away, and faces a different drone threat. Shahed drones have been dubbed "flying mopeds" by Ukrainians because of their puttering engines. Swarms of them attack Slovyansk often. There is a change in the drone's hum before it dives and then explodes.

At night, Nadiia and Oleh Moroz hear them but still they won't leave Slovyansk. They have poured blood and sweat into this land - and at their son's graveside, tears too.

Serhii was 29, a lieutenant in the army killed by a cluster bomb near Svatove in November 2022. He and his father, Oleh, first fought together in 2015 against the Russians in Donbas. They worked side by side, as sappers.

Serhii's trident-shaped grave sits on a hillside overlooking Slovyansk, his portrait and a map of Ukraine on the polished black stone.

Nadiia, 53, visits often. On the afternoon I meet her, Russian artillery is landing on a nearby hillside. But she pays little attention as she fusses around the grave and whispers sweet nothings to her dead son.

"How can you lose the place where you were born, where you grew up, where your child grew up, where he found his final rest?" she tells me through tears. "And then to live your whole life with the feeling that you will never again visit this place - I cannot even imagine that right now."

But her husband Oleh, 55, admits they will have to leave when the fighting comes closer. "I won't stay here, the Russians would put a target on me straight away," he says. Until then they will stay under the nightly terror of drones so that they can remain close to their son's final resting place.

Life's challenges don't stop when war arrives. All Olha Zaiets wants is time to recover from her cancer surgery. Instead, the 53-year-old and her husband Oleksander Ponomarenko, 59, had to flee their home in Oleksandrivka. The Russians were only 7.5km away and the shelling became intense. Their postwoman was killed in a Russian bombardment, and the school principal too.

"There was a strike - a missile hit the neighbouring house. And the blast wave smashed our roof tiles, blew out the doors, the windows, the gates, the fence. We had just left, and two days later it hit. If we had been there, we would have died," she explains.

Now they are living, temporarily, in a borrowed house in Sviatohirsk. It isn't much better. We can hear shelling outside, the front line edges closer every day. But it will have to do. They have nowhere else to go.

"Yes, we will have to move farther away somewhere, but we don't know how or where," she says in a room crowded with their belongings, still waiting to be unpacked. Their life savings have gone on her hospital bills and now they are out of options.

On Tuesday they left the town to collect Olha's test results. The news was good and she won't have to undergo chemotherapy. "We were happy, we felt like we were flying on wings," she said.

But while they were gone, Russia bombed the nearby town of Yarova, 4km away. It was just before 11am and older people had left their homes and gathered to collect their pensions. Some 24 were killed and 19 wounded in one of the deadliest strikes on civilians in the war so far.

On Telegram, the head of the Donetsk administration, Vadym Filashkin, decried the attack. "This is not warfare – this is pure terrorism."

"I urge everyone," he said, "take care of yourselves. Evacuate to safer regions of Ukraine!"

Additional reporting by Liubov Sholudko

Stephen Lawrence's mother has told the BBC of her "disbelief" at being contacted by Prince Harry, who had uncovered evidence she had been allegedly spied on by the Daily Mail.

In her first interview on the subject, Baroness Doreen Lawrence says she was "floored" by what Prince Harry had found out.

Along with Prince Harry, Sir Elton John, and other public figures, she is suing the Daily Mail's publisher, Associated Newspapers, at the High Court in London.

Associated Newspapers has denied claims that it hacked phones, calling them "preposterous smears".

In 2022 it emerged that Baroness Lawrence, alongside Prince Harry, was taking the Daily Mail to court. She alleged it had illegally spied on her to gather information about the investigation into the 1993 murder of her son.

Stephen Lawrence was 18 when he was stabbed to death in a racist attack in Eltham, south London.

Until now, Baroness Lawrence has not spoken publicly about the hacking claims.

Speaking to the BBC, she says she first learned about some of the alleged spying after she received unexpected "contact from Prince Harry", who has successfully taken other newspaper groups to court.

She has told the BBC that Prince Harry "was busy looking at his own case and then my name kept cropping up" and "so he felt that I should know about it".

The prince told her he had information she would want to know and she subsequently met lawyers Anjlee Sangani and David Sherborne, who told her she had been spied on.

Her reaction to the claims was disbelief: "Why would anybody want to be listening to my calls, hacking into my phone? All I'm trying to do over the years, is to try and get justice for my son."

The allegations at the High Court include claims that private investigators working for the Daily Mail tapped Baroness Lawrence's home phone and hacked her voicemails. The paper is also accused of commissioning investigators to monitor her bank accounts and phone bills.

Associated Newspapers has not issued a statement in response to the BBC, but has previously denied the allegations, saying it has "filed a trenchant defence of its journalism against claims of phone-hacking".

It says it has "denied under oath that its journalists had commissioned or obtained information derived from phone-hacking, phone-tapping, bugging, computer or email-hacking or burglary to order."

The publisher says it "stands by its previous statements that the claims are preposterous and without foundation" and that the "stories concerned, many of which were published 20 or more years ago, and not subject to any complaint at the time, were the product of responsible journalism based on legitimate sources."

Associated Newspapers has failed to get the case thrown out of the High Court and the case is due to be heard in January. Baroness Lawrence told the BBC that there is a clear "case to answer".

Her other co-claimants include Sir Elton John's husband David Furnish, actors Sadie Frost and Liz Hurley, and the former Liberal Democrat politician Sir Simon Hughes.

Baroness Lawrence said it is a "bit daunting" to be part of such a group taking on the Mail.

She says she had previously "trusted" the Daily Mail and thought it wanted to "fight for the rights of Stephen". The paper campaigned on the Lawrence family's behalf, and ran a famous front page in 1997, naming five prime suspects for the murder.

However, she now says her trust has been completely broken: "I don't trust them whatsoever. I don't trust them at all."

Asked what she would like to happen in the case, she says: "I'd like to see Daily Mail apologise - and a public apology - for what they've done. We as a family has been going through so much, and they've added to the trauma."

A son of prominent South African anti-apartheid activist Steve Biko has told the BBC the family is confident a new inquest into his death 48 years ago will lead to the prosecution of those responsible.

Seen as a martyr in the struggle against white-minority rule, the Black Consciousness Movement founder died from a brain injury aged 30 almost a month after being arrested at a roadblock.

Police at the time said he had banged his head against a wall, but after apartheid ended in 1994, former officers admitted to assaulting him - although no-one has been prosecuted.

Nkosinathi Biko, who was six when his father died, said the country could not move forward without addressing its violent past.

"It's very clear in our minds as to what happened and how they killed Steve Biko," he told the BBC after the first hearing was held at the High Court in the southern city of Gqeberha - on the 48th anniversary of his father's death.

It is alleged that Biko, who had been subject to a "banning order" that restricted his movements and other activities at the time of his arrest in 1977, was tortured by five policemen while in detention.

"What is required from this process is simply to follow the facts, and we have no doubt that a democratic court, in a democratic state, will find that Steve Biko's murder was an act, orchestrated and executed by those who were with him - the five policemen who are implicated in this case," his son said.

• Ghosts of apartheid haunt South Africa as compensation anger brews
• South Africa's long wait for justice over apartheid crimes

On Friday, the judge heard that two people linked to the case remain alive, both now in their 80s.

Biko's death caused outrage in South Africa and was the subject of the 1987 Hollywood film Cry Freedom, starring Denzel Washington.

He had been a medical student at the University of Natal when he founded the Black Consciousness Movement, aimed at empowering and mobilising the urban black population.

He was determined to combat the psychological inferiority that many black South Africans felt after years of white-minority rule and at a time when anti-apartheid activists like Nelson Mandela had been silenced and incarcerated by the regime.

The new inquest comes five months after President Cyril Ramaphosa announced a judicial inquiry into allegations of political interference in the prosecution of apartheid-era crimes.

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), set up in 1996, uncovered apartheid-era atrocities like murder and torture, but few of these cases progressed to trial.

Biko's case was heard at the TRC, which is where the policemen involved admitted to having made false statements 20 years earlier, but they were not prosecuted.

"Accountability for our violent, brutal past is something that has evaded South African society," said Nkosinathi Biko.

"You cannot have the trauma that we had, the flow of blood in the streets orchestrated by a state against a people, and then you emerge with less than a handful of prosecutions ever being successfully made."

He said families who felt let down by the lack of prosecutions that had been recommended by the TRC had continued to pressure the government for justice.

"You can't give root to a democracy without dealing with some of the historical issues decisively," he said.

The case was adjourned until 12 November.

You may also be interested in:

• Remembering anti-apartheid legend Steve Biko
• LISTEN: Witness History on Steve Biko
• Timol inquest: Verdict gives hope to apartheid victims

Go to BBCAfrica.com for more news from the African continent.

Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica

Memphis, Tennessee, is the next US city where President Donald Trump is sending National Guard troops as part his ongoing crackdown on crime in Democrat-led cities.

Trump made the announcement during a wide-ranging interview on Fox News Channel's Fox and Friends on Friday, and said the city's mayor, a Democrat, is "happy" about the decision, as is the state's governor, a Republican.

The deployment to Memphis would mark an escalation in the president's use of troops and comes roughly a month after he sent the National Guard to the streets of Washington DC.

Memphis has one of the highest rates of crime in the US, with 2,501 violent crimes per 100,000 people, data from the FBI shows.

"We're going to Memphis," Trump said, without giving details of when troops would arrive. "Memphis is deeply troubled."

He said he also wanted to lower crime in New Orleans and Chicago.

The country has been wondering for weeks if he would deploy troops to Chicago, as his "Operation Midway Blitz" for immigration enforcement ramps up. On Friday Trump appeared to indicate he had chosen to send the National Guard to Memphis instead of the midwestern city, saying "I would have preferred going to Chicago."

The Memphis mayor did not respond to a BBC request for comment confirming Trump's announcement.

Earlier in the week, the mayor, Paul Young, released a statement saying he had been in talks with the Trump administration about bringing in federal support for the city's police department.

"What we need most are financial resources for intervention and prevention, additional patrol officers, and case support to strengthen investigations," Young said.

"Memphis is already making measurable progress in bringing down crime, and we support initiatives that help accelerate the pace of the work our officers, community partners, and residents are doing every day."

Trump took charge of the Washington DC's Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) on 11 August and activated the National Guard.

The takeover of the local police department was valid for 30 days which expired earlier this week.

Hundreds of arrests were made during those 30 days, the White House said, and Trump has said DC is now "virtually crime free".

Despite that, troops are expected to remain in the nation's capital for the foreseeable future, and many of them can be seen around the city helping with trash collection and mulching.

Since the DC deployment, Trump has threatened to send the National Guard to Baltimore, Chicago and New Orleans.

The use of National Guard to support law enforcement has come under scrutiny by legal experts, with some concerned about using the military against civilians.

A court recently said Trump's previous deployment of National Guard troops to Los Angeles earlier this year was unlawful, but said the ruling does not apply to the deployment of troops elsewhere.

Nepal's former Supreme Court chief justice Sushila Karki is set to become the country's interim prime minister after deadly anti-corruption protests ousted the government.

Karki, 73, will be the first woman to lead the impoverished Himalayan nation after a deal was reached with the protest leaders for her to be sworn in.

More than 50 people were killed in clashes with riot police during this week's mass protests sparked by a ban on social media platforms.

The ban was lifted on Monday - but by then protests had swelled into a mass movement. Angry crowds set fire to parliament and government buildings in the capital Kathmandu on Tuesday, forcing Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to resign.

Karki would take the oath of office on Friday evening, President Ram Chandra Poudel's press adviser confirmed to the BBC.

The agreement between the president and the protest leaders was reached after days of consultations. Legal experts were also involved.

Parliament is expected to be dissolved shortly.

Karki is widely regarded as a person of clean image, and is being supported by student leaders from the so-called "Gen Z" to lead the interim government.

Nepal's army has deployed patrols on the streets of Kathmandu, as the country reels from its worst unrest in decades.

The protests were triggered by the government's decision last week to ban 26 social media platforms, including WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook - but they soon widened to embody much deeper discontent with Nepal's political elite.

In the weeks before the ban, a "nepo kid" campaign, spotlighting the lavish lifestyles of politicians' children and allegations of corruption, had taken off on social media.

And while the social media ban was hastily lifted on Monday night, the protests had by that stage gained unstoppable momentum.

A pilot and co-pilot have tested positive for alcohol after the plane they were operating veered off the runway when landing in Nigeria.

The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) screened the pair after the accident in July, at the Port Harcourt International Airport. In addition, a crew member tested positive for cannabis.

All 103 people on board the Boeing 737 at the time of the incident were unharmed.

Air Peace, the company that operated the flight, said the 64-year-old pilot has been sacked for failing to adhere to safety regulations, while the co-pilot has since returned to his role.

In a statement, Air Peace said the co-pilot was acquitted by the national regulator, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), following preliminary investigations and a clean bill of health.

Tests carried out by the NSIB found the pilot and co-pilot had tested positive for Ethyl Glucuronide (EtG), which indicates recent alcohol consumption.

A cabin crew member also tested positive for (THC), the psychoactive component in cannabis.

In a statement, Air Peace said it had not received any toxicology test results from the NSIB.

"We are yet to receive any official communication from the NSIB on such findings over a month after the incident and after the testing of the crew for alcohol which took place in less than an hour of the incident," Air Peace said.

The pilot had a total flying time of over 18,000 hours, while the co-pilot, aged 28, had almost 1,200 hours.

The NSIB says its investigations are still in progress. For now, it has recommended improved training and the reinforcement of internal procedures.

Although there have been no plane crashes in Nigeria for several years, there have been cases of aircraft overshooting the runway and tyres bursting during landing.

Earlier this month, aviation authorities launched a new flight data centre aimed at improving aircraft safety but stakeholders say further protective measures and improved technology need to be deployed in the sector.

You may also be interested in:

• South African teens attempt Cape-to-Cairo in homemade plane
• Air travel in Africa: Costly flights hold the continent back
• Nigerians outraged by president's new plane

Go to BBCAfrica.com for more news from the African continent.

Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica

One of the first people JD Vance called before deciding to jump into politics was Charlie Kirk.

"[Kirk] introduced me to some of the people who would run my [Senate] campaign and also to Donald Trump Jr," the vice-president wrote in a powerful tribute he penned hours after Kirk's death.

"Don took a call from me because Charlie asked him."

Three years after that winning Senate run, when the elder Donald Trump was pondering his choice of presidential running mate, Kirk argued the case for Vance "in public and private", Vance wrote.

• Follow latest updates on hunt for suspect
• 'We have him' - how suspect was caught

By then, Kirk was already a fixture in Trump's orbit, courting donors and discussing strategies at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida and hosting Turning Point USA summits hosted by local Republicans.

He never ran for office or held an official government position, but Kirk rose from being an unknown activist from the suburbs of Chicago to standard bearer of Donald Trump's Maga movement.

Kirk was President Trump's bridge to young Republicans, and Trump credited him and his organisation with his victory in 2024.

He was also a close personal friend of the Trump family, a key White House adviser, a hero to many young Republicans and a foil for the party's opponents.

A meteoric rise to MAGA star

Born in a suburb of Chicago in 1993, Kirk got started early in conservative politics, first penning an essay for right-wing Breitbart News at the age of 18, accusing schools of spreading "propaganda" and "indoctrination".

He caught the eye of Bill Montgomery, a retired businessman and Tea Party activist more than 50 years his senior, who took Kirk under his wing.

In 2012 – around the midpoint of Barack Obama's presidency – the pair founded Turning Point USA (TPUSA), a group which focused on conservative activism on college campuses, spreading rapidly along with Kirk's social media following.

The group tapped into online media and spread a slickly packaged style of conservatism to young people. It won him a speaking place, aged 23, at the 2016 Republican National Convention.

At the time, Kirk - who had worked with more conventional Republican candidates in the past - admitted to a Wired magazine that he "was not the world's biggest Donald Trump fan".

But from that moment on he quickly became one of Trump's biggest backers, steadfastly tracking the Maga agenda and disagreeing only on rare occasions.

• Suspect in custody - what we know so far

Following Kirk's death, Jared Kushner - the president's son in-law - wrote on X that he "played a significant role in helping President Trump's 2016 campaign, building and fostering the Maga movement", adding that he told established political organisations that "he comes with big ideas, is easy to work with and always overdelivers."

Lawrence Muir, a former official in Trump's first administration, said that Kirk's influence was key early on in Trump's first term, and that TPUSA "was the main recruitment vehicle for younger people."

But perhaps his more far-reaching impact, Mr Muir said, was in giving other conservatives an understanding of social media and how to reach young people.

"What [Kirk] really did was give a launching pad to those who weren't as interested in becoming bureaucratic functionalities, but were in going out and building winning coalitions," he said.

Hard-right Trump loyalist

Kirk's political views drifted rightward over time. He was against gay marriage and abortion, argued for Christian nationalism and was highly critical of Islam, and famously said that gun deaths were "worth it" for the right to own firearms. He was also an opponent of diversity programmes and spread falsehoods about topics such as Covid vaccines and voting fraud.

Above all, he was loyal to Trump.

At the end of Trump's first term, with the president pushing false allegations of election fraud, Kirk bragged about sending 80 buses of supporters to Washington just in time for the rally which devolved into the Jan 6 riot at the US Capitol.

Kirk was hauled in front of a Congressional committee investigating the riot and declined to say much of anything, instead invoking his constitutional right not to incriminate himself.

But by July 2024 he had tempered his views, telling the BBC that he believed it existed but only "on the edges". Instead, he said and his group were laser focused - like the Trump campaign - on maximising early voting methods that they had previously shunned as illegitimate and ripe for fraud.

Credit from Trump

Kirk poured millions of TPUSA dollars and thousands of volunteers into get-out-the-vote efforts in swing states during last year's election, and his strategy appears to have worked.

The organisation's "ground game" was crucial, analysts say, helping make up for the formal Trump campaign's struggles reaching infrequent voters, or those untouched by traditional outreach.

Although Democrat Kamala Harris won the youth vote overall, it was by a far smaller margin than that of Joe Biden's 2020 victory.

Trump himself gave Kirk credit at TPUSA's annual AmericaFest conference in December, just a few weeks after his election victory.

"I want to express my tremendous gratitude to Charlie Kirk. He's really an amazing guy, amazing guy and his whole staff for their relentless efforts to achieve this very historic victory," Trump said.

The gathering was triumphant, bombastic and slickly produced, with huge video screens - a demonstration of TPUSA's deep pockets. The group has now spread to 3,500 high schools and colleges and brought in more than $85m (£62m) last year, according to investigative journalism outlet ProPublica.

It also showed off Kirk's ability to bring together disparate wings of the Make America Great Again movement - members of Congress, dark arts strategists like Roger Stone and conspiracy-obsessed social media influencers.

Ever closer to White House power

Kirk's influence arguably grew even more during Trump's second term. Just two days before Trump took office, the pair played golf together in Mar-a-Lago.

His relationships with Trump and the rest of the family even gave him sway over government posts - Kirk was reportedly involved in vetting administration appointees earlier this year.

In his tribute, Vance wrote: "He didn't just help us win in 2024, he helped us staff the entire government."

And while his social media and podcast output continued at pace, along with campus tours and other speaking commitments, he continued to hew to Trump's agenda.

After criticising the Justice Department for dragging its feet on releasing files related to the sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, he took a phone call with Trump. Shortly thereafter, Kirk declared that he was "done talking about Epstein".

News of his killing hit the White House hard, starting with the startled gasps of young staffers who saw news of the shooting while scrolling on their phones.

"Oh my God," one young woman was heard saying, before scurrying down a hallway to tell others. "Charlie Kirk has been shot!"

Some staff were wiping away tears. President Trump received updates and fielded phone calls from the Oval Office before ultimately taking to Truth Social to publicly confirm his death and later delivering a video address on his murder and ordering flags across the country to fly at half-staff.

"Charlie was very much a part of this family, and maybe the highest-profile Maga person outside of those that are working here," Chief-of-Staff Susie Wiles told CNN. "I think it shook everybody to their core."

Donald Trump Jr posted his own message saying that Kirk "wasn't just a friend, he was like a little brother to me.

Dr Matthew Dallek, a professor at George Washington University and expert on modern conservatism, said that the close personal ties between Kirk and the Trump family were "really important" to the TPUSA founder's broader influence.

"Trump prizes loyalty, above maybe anything else," he said. "And if Don Jr is saying he was like a brother to him, that suggests just how great a supporter Kirk was. They viewed him as an absolutely critical ally and advisor.

"There was a kindred spirit there, and they did not have to worry about him bolting from the movement. He was loyal."

Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander has said Labour MPs will be feeling "despondent" following a chaotic week which has seen the sacking of Lord Mandelson and the resignation of Angela Rayner.

Sir Keir Starmer is facing questions over why he appointed Mandelson as the UK's ambassador to the US despite his known links to the convicted paedophile Jeffery Epstein.

The government said Mandelson was dismissed after new information about the extent of the two men's friendship came out this week.

The prime minister is now in the position of searching for a new ambassador to Washington, just days before the US President arrives for a state visit.

Speaking to BBC Breakfast, Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander said: "Many of us were devastated by [deputy PM] Angela Rayner's departure from the government last week.

"She's an extraordinary woman who's overcome the most extraordinary challenges and we are grieving and feel quite acutely that sense of loss.

"Now to have the dismissal of Peter Mandelson just the next week, I totally get it, of course Labour MPs will be despondent that in two weeks in a row we have seen significant resignations from public service.

"These are not the headlines any of us in government or in Parliament would have chosen or wanted.

"But the fact is when the evidence emerged, action had to be taken and we are looking forward, therefore, to moving on."

Some Labour MPs have expressed anger at how the situation with Mandelson has been handled.

Paula Barker - who dropped out of the deputy Labour leader race on Thursday - said: "The delay in sacking him has only served to further erode the trust and confidence in our government and politics in the round."

Charlotte Nichols said Mandelson's sacking was "not immediate enough unfortunately, as he should never have been appointed in the first place".

Sadik Al-Hassan said there were "serious questions about the vetting process of the ambassador".

Stephen Lawrence's mother has urged witnesses to come forward with information about her son's murder, as an official review - triggered by a BBC investigation - has begun.

Baroness Doreen Lawrence told BBC News the review was the "last opportunity" for full justice and said she cannot grieve until that is achieved.

Investigators working for the College of Policing are examining information held by the Metropolitan Police to identify any outstanding lines of inquiry.

In a statement, the College said the review was being "conducted independently of the Met Police".

Baroness Lawrence told the BBC she hoped people who hold information about the murder will now feel able to talk.

She said there were "reasons why they felt they couldn't do it at the time".

"This is the last opportunity that we're going to have to get the complete justice that I think Stephen so deserves.

"So I would like to ask them, whatever they felt at the time, or whatever happened if they tried to help, please come forward now."

The review was announced last year following a series of BBC reports which publicly named a sixth suspect in the murder, exposed a series of police failings, and led to an apology from Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley to Baroness Lawrence for broken promises by the force.

A long process of negotiation followed over what the review would examine - with the Met conceding a series of key demands by the Lawrence family, including the full involvement of Clive Driscoll, the retired Met detective who achieved two murder convictions in the case.

In 2014, Mr Driscoll was replaced as senior investigating officer by the Met before he could complete his inquiry.

The review team will be led by a recently retired senior detective who had a career outside the Met.

It will seek to identify if any lines of enquiry were missed, not pursued properly, or now require a fresh approach.

One focus of the review will be the news reports by the BBC. If viable lines of inquiry are identified, they will be passed to an independent investigative body.

Institutionally racist

Stephen was 18 when he was stabbed to death in a racist attack in Eltham, south London, in April 1993. He had been waiting for a bus with his friend Duwayne Brooks, who said there were six attackers.

The Met's failures to properly investigate the five prime suspects in the case became notorious and led to the force being branded "institutionally racist" by a landmark public inquiry. Two of Stephen's murderers were finally convicted in 2012, but the other suspects have remained free.

The murder investigation was closed in 2020, with the Met saying everything possible had been done.

Baroness Lawrence told the BBC that key suspects, brothers Neil and Jamie Acourt, have "been sitting quite pretty".

"They believe they've got away with it, and the police have allowed them to think that they've got away with it," she said. The Acourt brothers have always denied being involved with the murder.

Two years ago, the BBC publicity identified a sixth suspect, Matthew White, who died in 2021 and exposed a series of failures by the Met relating to him. Evidence that implicates White also implicates the key outstanding suspects.

"It's been going on for 32 years, and we haven't come to an end of it," said Baroness Lawrence.

"Most people have come to the end and [are] allowed to grieve in private. We haven't been given that opportunity."

The Met said its objective remains "to achieve the arrest, prosecution and conviction of all of those responsible for Stephen's murder".

A spokesman added: "The review is being led by an experienced investigator working for the College and will focus on identifying any outstanding lines of enquiry which could reasonably lead to a suspect being brought to justice."

The review team can be contacted at StephenLawrenceReview@college.police.uk.

A sheriff has ordered that a self-styled "African tribe" should be removed from privately-owned land in the Scottish Borders.

The three members of the self-proclaimed Kingdom of Kubala have been camping in woodland near Jedburgh for several weeks.

They said they were reclaiming land that was stolen from their ancestors 400 years ago - but the local council said they were breaking the law.

The eviction order, which takes effect immediately, was issued by Sheriff Peter Paterson after the group ignored a previous instruction to leave their encampment by 17:00 on Monday.

None of the group's members were present at Jedburgh Sheriff Court and they did not have legal representation.

Moved to woodland

Ghanaian Kofi Offeh, 36, and Jean Gasho, 42, who is originally from Zimbabwe, first arrived in the Jedburgh area in the spring.

Describing themselves as King Atehehe and Queen Nandi, they set up camp on a hillside above the town in the Scottish Borders.

They were joined by "handmaiden" Kaura Taylor, from Texas, who calls herself Asnat.

The group claimed ancestral rights to land and insisted that the Kingdom of Kubala had been born.

Scottish Borders Council initially evicted the trio from the hillside site above Jedburgh in July.

But rather than leave the area, they moved about a mile further out of town to a woodland next to an industrial estate.

The land's owners, David and Mary Palmer, successfully applied to the courts for the tribe to be evicted.

However, Scottish Borders Council said they had failed to comply with an order to leave the land by 17:00 on Monday.

Jedburgh councillor Scott Hamilton said the group were breaking the law by taking up residence on someone else's land.

He said the landowner had been left with "no option" but to seek an order from the sheriff.

Mr Hamilton, deputy leader of the council, said it was disappointing - but not surprising - that the group had ignored the ultimatum to leave the site.

"They have rebuffed every opportunity to engage with us," he said.

"We can help them, but we won't sit back and let them break the law."

He added that comments on social media by the group, which has made allegations of prejudice against the community, had upset a lot of people in the area.

'We are not afraid'

The "tribe" has a growing online presence, with more than 100,000 followers on TikTok and Facebook, and has received worldwide media attention.

Speaking to the media at the campsite following the order, Mr Offeh said the group were "not afraid" of the warrant for their eviction.

"The creator of the heavens and the Earth is the one with us," he said.

"And we are not afraid of whatever the court - the so-called court - has granted."

Asked if the group planned to move elsewhere, the self-proclaimed king said: "If the creator of the heavens and the earth wants us to move from this land, he shall find us a place to go."

The United Nations Security Council has condemned Israel's strikes on a residential compound in the Qatari capital Doha, which targeted senior members of Hamas.

The statement - which did not directly name Israel - was backed by all 15 Security Council members, including the US, which traditionally blocks actions against its close ally.

"Council members underscored the importance of de-escalation and expressed their solidarity with Qatar," read the statement, drafted by the UK and France. Israel defended its decision to mount the attack.

Qatar has played a key role in brokering diplomatic efforts to end the Israel-Gaza war, serving as a mediator of indirect negotiations between Hamas and Israel.

It has hosted the Hamas political bureau since 2012 and is a close US ally, hosting a large American airbase in the desert south-west of Doha.

The emergency meeting was requested by Qatar, Algeria, Pakistan and Somalia. Qatar's Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani travelled to New York to attend.

"This attack puts the international community before a test," al-Thani told the council.

"Israel, led by blusterous extremists, has gone beyond any borders, any limitations when it comes to behaviour. We are unable to predict what Israel will do. How can we host Israeli representatives when they have committed this attack?"

Pakistan's ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad said: "It is evident that Israel, the occupying power, is bent on doing everything to undermine and blow up every possibility of peace".

Meanwhile, Algeria's ambassador Amar Bendjama said the Security Council remained "constrained" as it was "unable even to name the aggressor, to qualify aggression as a violation of international law".

Israel's representative, Danny Danon, defended the attack, telling the meeting: "This strike sends a message that should echo across this chamber. There is no sanctuary for terrorists, not in Gaza, not in Tehran, not in Doha."

For a Security Council statement to be issued, all 15 members must sign off on the text. The US has long-blocked statements critical of Israel - making its backing of this one, though Israel is not named, notable.

US President Donald Trump earlier criticised Israel's strikes, writing that unilaterally striking inside Qatar "does not advance Israel or America's goals".

However, he added that "this unfortunate incident could serve as an opportunity for PEACE", and that the elimination of Hamas was a "worthy goal".

The strikes on Doha shocked many in the region, who had long assumed that close relations with the US would offer security.

In May, Trump announced a "historic" economic agreement signed between Qatar and the US that he said was valued at least $1.2 trillion (£890bn).

Qatar also recently gifted Trump a plane - valued at $400m - as an "unconditional gift" to be used as the new Air Force One, the official aircraft of the US president.

On Friday, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) summoned the deputy Israeli ambassador over the Israeli strike on Doha as well as what it described as "hostile and unacceptable" remarks by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The UAE normalised diplomatic ties with Israel under the 2020 Abraham Accords, a US-brokered agreement which led to co-operation across a range of issues, from security to the economy.

The accords, which were also signed by Morocco, Bahrain and Sudan, are widely seen as one of Donald Trump's major foreign policy achievements from his first term in office.

Hamas said that its negotiating team survived Israel's strikes on Doha on Tuesday, but that five of its members were killed, including the son of the group's chief negotiator Khalil al-Hayya. A Qatari security officer was also killed.

The Dutch public broadcaster, Avrotros, has confirmed the Netherlands will also boycott next year's Eurovision song contest if Israel is involved.

It follows Irish broadcaster RTÉ, which has said it will not take part if Israel does "given the ongoing and appalling loss of lives in Gaza".

Eurovision will take place next in May 2026 in Vienna after Austrian singer JJ won this year following a nail-biting finish that saw him topple Israel from pole position at the very last minute.

In a statement which echoed RTÉ's, Avrotros said it too could no longer justify Israel's inclusion "given the ongoing and severe human suffering in Gaza" and the "serious erosion of press freedom".

It continued: "Human suffering, the suppression of press freedom and political interference are at odds with the values of public broadcasting."

The Dutch broadcaster went on to cite the Israeli ban on international media from entering war-torn Gaza, as well as the "many casualties among journalists".

On Friday, Irish musician and songwriter Phil Coulter called on the UK to withdraw from Eurovision 2026 if Israel participates.

The BBC - the UK's Eurovision broadcaster - has so far declined to comment.

Mr Coulter said he was "100% behind RTÉ" in their decision to withdraw from the contest, and that people in the UK and Ireland are both "disgusted by what's going on in Gaza".

Coulter has written or co-written several songs for Eurovision, including the UK's 1967 winning song, Puppet on a String, which singer Jade Thirlwall sampled last year.

RTÉ said it will make a final decision once the Eurovision organiser, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), has done so.

Earlier this year, more than 70 former Eurovision contestants signed a letter calling on the organisers to ban Israel from the 2025 competition.

The breaking news was announced by US President Donald Trump on a morning television show.

"I think with a high degree of certainty, we have him," said Trump on the sofa of Fox & Friends on Friday morning in New York City. "In custody."

"Essentially, someone that was very close to him turned him in."

It was Trump, too, who first announced that his ally, Kirk, had died after he was shot in the neck at Utah Valley University on Wednesday.

At a press conference on Friday morning, officials identified the person in custody as 22-year-old Tyler Robinson.

• Follow live: Charlie Kirk suspect caught
• Obituary: Charlie Kirk

Utah Governor Spencer Cox told reporters that "a family member of Tyler Robinson reached out to a family friend who contacted the Washington County Sheriff's Office with information that Robinson had confessed to them".

Surveillance video shows the suspect arriving on campus at the university in a grey Dodge Challenger at 08:29 local time (14:29GMT) on the morning of the shooting, said Cox.

He said investigators had interviewed a family member who said the suspect had become more political in recent years.

Cox said: "The family member referenced a recent incident in which Robinson came to dinner prior to September 10, and in the conversation with another family member, Robinson mentioned Charlie Kirk was coming to UVU."

There was a mention of how "Kirk was full of hate and spreading hate".

Cox said investigators had also spoken to a roommate of the suspect who had shown them messages with an account named "Tyler" on the messaging app Discord.

The messages referred to a need to retrieve a rifle from "a drop point" and the rifle being left in a bush, wrapped in a towel.

The FBI said on Thursday they had found the suspected murder weapon - an imported Mauser .30-06 bolt action rifle - wrapped in a towel in a wooded area near campus.

Cox told reporters that investigators had found inscriptions engraved on casings recovered with the rifle, which had a scope mounted on top of it.

The inscriptions included "hey fascist! catch!" and "bella ciao" and "if you read this, you are gay, LMAO".

Bella ciao means "goodbye beautiful" in Italian. It is also the title of a song dedicated to the Italian resistance who fought against the occupying troops of Nazi Germany.

The Utah governor said he was not aware of any potential further arrests in the investigation.

Utah County Sheriff Mike Smith said it had been a "vast, complicated and very, very fast paced investigation" and one that had been "very taxing".

FBI Director Kash Patel told reporters the crime scene was large, but had been processed quickly and forensic evidence had been recovered.

He said the first federal agents had arrived on the crime scene some 16 minutes after Kirk was shot.

"Just last night, the suspect was taken into custody at 10pm local time," Patel said.

The arrest came after the FBI released grainy pictures of a "person of interest" wanted for the shooting.

Investigators appealed for the public's help identifying the suspect, who was wearing sunglasses, Converse shoes and a "distinctive" long-sleeved black top featuring an American flag and an eagle.

On Wednesday, Patel said another potential suspect had been detained for questioning before being released.

Another person - seen in viral videos on social media - was taken into custody immediately after the shooting, but was determined not to be the gunman.

Charlie Kirk, an influential conservative activist and close ally of US President Donald Trump, was shot dead while speaking at an event at a university in Utah.

There's still a lot that is unclear about the incident but here is what we do know.

What happened?

Kirk, 31, had been invited to Utah Valley University (UVU) and was seated under a white gazebo addressing a crowd of about 3,000 people in the quad - an outdoor bowl courtyard.

According to eyewitnesses and videos taken at the scene, he was responding to a question about gun violence when a single shot rang out around 12:20 local time.

Kirk can be seen recoiling in his chair, blood on his neck, before the terrified crowd starts running.

"I heard a loud shot, a loud bang and then I saw his body actually - in slow motion - kind of fall over," one eyewitness told reporters.

"We all dropped to the ground, and I want to say we sat like that for about 30 to 45 seconds, and then everyone around us got up and started running," said Emma Pitts, a reporter from the Deseret News who was at the scene.

Kirk was rushed to hospital in a private vehicle - his death was confirmed by Trump hours later.

The university campus was evacuated, as authorities hunt for the shooter.

Kirk's wife and two children were on campus at the time, but are safe. No-one else was injured.

Who is the suspect?

Authorities say this was an assassination - but we don't know who shot Kirk, or why.

Two people were arrested in the hours after the incident and later released. They have "no current ties" to the fatal incident, Utah officials have said.

"This shooting is still an active investigation," the Department of Public Safety - which covers law enforcement in the state - said in its latest update.

A large manhunt for the shooter is under way. The BBC's Regan Morris, who is at the campus, said it has been locked down and heavily armed police were going door-to-door.

Law enforcement officials say the killer is believed to have fired the fatal shot from the roof of a building near the courtyard where Kirk was speaking. They have said they are studying CCTV from the university and believe the suspect was "dressed in dark clothing".

BBC Verify has been examining videos posted on social media, which people are claiming may show a "shooter" on the roof of a university building in the aftermath of the attack.

We zoomed in on the image, but the quality is too poor to make out what the dark shape pictured is.

Using features of the building shown, we identified it as UVU's Losee Center – which a campus spokesperson has said is where the shot came from.

The video was posted on X after the shooting. We cannot verify when it was filmed.

Who was Charlie Kirk?

Kirk was one of the most high-profile conservative activists and media personalities in the US and a trusted ally of president Trump. He was a guest at his inauguration and a regular visitor to the White House.

As an 18-year-old in 2012, he co-founded Turning Point USA (TPUSA), a student organisation that aims to spread conservative ideals at liberal-leaning US colleges.

He became known for holding open-air debates on campuses across the country, fielding rapid-fire questions in a signature "change-my-mind"-style - just like he was doing on Wednesday at the time he was shot.

His social media and daily podcast often shared clips of him debating people on issues such as gun rights, climate change, faith and family values.

He has, however, attracted criticism for promoting controversial and at times conspiratorial beliefs.

Kirk is considered by others to be a champion of free speech, is credited with playing a key role in convincing younger voters to turn out for Trump in last year's election, and became valued within the administration for his keen understanding of the grassroots Maga movement.

What has the reaction been?

There has been an outpouring of grief and anger from across the political spectrum in the US.

"The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is dead. No one understood or had the Heart of the Youth in the United States of America better than Charlie," Trump said in a statement on Truth Social.

"He was loved and admired by ALL, especially me," the president added, ordering that all flags be flown at half-mast across the country.

All living former US presidents have also offered their condolences. Joe Biden, Trump's predecessor, said there is "no place in our country for this kind of violence", while Barack Obama called the shooting a "despicable act" and said his family was praying for Kirk's loved ones.

Likewise a string of key White House officials have expressed their sorrow - including Health Secretary RFK Jr and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

UK Prime Minister Kier Starmer has also offered his sympathy in a statement. "We must all be free to debate openly and freely without fear."

Italy's Prime Minister Girogia Meloni said the "atrocious murder" was "a deep wound for democracy" while Argentinian President Javier Milei paid tribute to Kirk as "a formidable disseminator of the ideas of freedom and staunch defender of the West".

Is political violence in the US increasing?

In the first six months of this year, the US has experienced about 150 politically-motivated attacks – nearly twice as many as over the same period last year, an expert has told Reuters.

Mike Jensen - from the University of Maryland, which for over 50 years has tracked political violence in a database - said the US is in a "a very, very dangerous spot right now".

"This could absolutely serve as a kind of flashpoint that inspires more of it."

Kirk's murder is the latest in a string of high-profile attacks against political leaders in the US – including two attempted assassinations on Trump during his 2024 election campaign.

The president was injured in ear after he was shot at a rally in Butler, Arizona, last July and authorities say they thwarted a second attempt on his life at his West Palm Beach golf course two months later.

From the Oval Office on Wednesday night, Trump said "radical left political violence has hurt too many innocent people".

Comments like these – which he has made regularly – have stirred controversy. Critics say they neglect to acknowledge that the spate of violence is affecting left-leaning politicians too, and could incite further violence against Trump's political opponents.

In June, Minnesota's top Democratic legislator and her husband were murdered in their home.

In April, Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro's house was burned in an arson attack, while the Democrat and his family slept inside.

Other incidents this year include politically motivated fire attacks on Tesla dealerships and the killing of two Israeli Embassy staffers in Washington.

And in 2022, the husband of then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was bludgeoned with a hammer after a man broke into the couple's home looking for the top-ranking Democrat with the intention of taking her hostage.

"The horrific shooting today at Utah Valley University is reprehensible," Pelosi said in a post on X on Wednesday.

Former US representative Gabby Giffords – who survived being shot in the head during a meeting with constituents in 2011 – also condemned the attack.

"Democratic societies will always have political disagreements, but we must never allow America to become a country that confronts those disagreements with violence."

Former BBC Weather presenter Jay Wynne died in June at the age of 56 after a long-term illness, his brother has confirmed to BBC News.

Wynne joined BBC Weather in October 2000 and was a regular forecaster on BBC News at Ten.

"Jay had a gift for gentle clarity, making his forecasts for sometimes complex weather systems feel accessible and engaging," his brother, Matthew, said in a tribute.

"A keen skier, golfer and musician, Jay enjoyed travelling to pursue his sporting interests," Matthew Wynne added.

"We will miss his wisdom, generosity and dry sense of humour."

Wynne's interest in how the weather works began while he was studying Environmental Geography at the University of Aberdeen, leading him to complete a master's degree in Applied Meteorology at the University of Reading.

He told the Radio Times in 2011 that he would often stay up until sunrise after working overnight, to make sure his weather reports for accurate.

"I have been known to drive around after night shifts, waiting for the sun to come up," he said.

"At night, it's difficult to tell what kind of cloud there is on satellite pictures, so I like to see if I was right. More often than not, I am."

Before deciding on his future career in weather, he studied Civil Engineering at university, dropping out two years into the course.

He then worked on a North Sea offshore oil rig for three years as a technician, before going back to university to study Environmental Geography.

As part of his environmental research, he was able to travel widely, exploring South-East Asia.

Wynne also worked as an English teacher in Fukuoka, Japan before studying for his masters degree.

His Met Office training involved a six-month secondment at RAF Northolt and lasted 14 months in total.

Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander has said Labour MPs will be feeling "despondent" following a chaotic week which has seen the sacking of Lord Mandelson and the resignation of Angela Rayner.

Sir Keir Starmer is facing questions over why he appointed Mandelson as the UK's ambassador to the US despite his known links to the convicted paedophile Jeffery Epstein.

The government said Mandelson was dismissed after new information about the extent of the two men's friendship came out this week.

The prime minister is now in the position of searching for a new ambassador to Washington, just days before the US President arrives for a state visit.

Speaking to BBC Breakfast, Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander said: "Many of us were devastated by [deputy PM] Angela Rayner's departure from the government last week.

"She's an extraordinary woman who's overcome the most extraordinary challenges and we are grieving and feel quite acutely that sense of loss.

"Now to have the dismissal of Peter Mandelson just the next week, I totally get it, of course Labour MPs will be despondent that in two weeks in a row we have seen significant resignations from public service.

"These are not the headlines any of us in government or in Parliament would have chosen or wanted.

"But the fact is when the evidence emerged, action had to be taken and we are looking forward, therefore, to moving on."

Some Labour MPs have expressed anger at how the situation with Mandelson has been handled.

Paula Barker - who dropped out of the deputy Labour leader race on Thursday - said: "The delay in sacking him has only served to further erode the trust and confidence in our government and politics in the round."

Charlotte Nichols said Mandelson's sacking was "not immediate enough unfortunately, as he should never have been appointed in the first place".

Sadik Al-Hassan said there were "serious questions about the vetting process of the ambassador".

The Oxford Union has condemned comments made by its incoming president appearing to celebrate the shooting of Charlie Kirk.

Student George Abaraonye posted on social media after news of the shooting broke, seeming to welcome the attack, according to media reports.

Mr Abaraonye had taken part in a discussion with Kirk at the university debating society in May, in which the pair expressed opposing views on masculinity.

The BBC has contacted Mr Abaraonye for a response. He reportedly told the Times that he had "reacted impulsively" and quickly deleted the comments, as they did not reflect his values.

• Live updates on this story
• New clues in hunt for Charlie Kirk's killer
• Young fans and critics debate Charlie Kirk's political legacy

Kirk, an influential right-wing activist and close ally of US President Donald Trump, was shot dead while speaking at a university in Utah on Wednesday.

According to the Telegraph, Mr Abaraonye posted a message on Instagram which read "Charlie Kirk got shot loool" - an elongated version of the phrase 'lol' which means 'laughing out loud'.

He is also said to have posted in a WhatsApp chat with fellow students, appearing to welcome the incident.

In a statement posted on X late on Thursday, the Oxford Union said it "unequivocally condemn[ed] the reported words and sentiments" expressed by Mr Abaraonye, who was elected as the society's new president in June.

"His reported views do not represent the Oxford Union's current leadership or committee's view."

It added that its current leadership had "no association" with Mr Abaraonye and shared its condolences with Kirk's family.

"We reaffirm our stance that the Oxford Union firmly opposes all forms of political violence and strongly stands by our commitment to free speech and considerate debate."

Mr Abaraonye was one of several students to debate Kirk at the Union in May.

During their exchange, Kirk said the West had become "hyper-feminised" and that it needed to "restore the balance - God created man and woman," while Mr Abaronye spoke in favour of a less traditional form of masculinity.

According to the Times, Mr Abaraonyehe said he removed his comments after reacting on impulse and that "nobody deserves to be the victim of political violence".

"I may have disagreed strongly with Mr Kirk's politics, but in death we all deserve respect, and I extend my condolences to his family and loved ones."

He also told the Guardian that his reaction was "shaped by the context of Mr Kirk's own rhetoric – words that often dismissed or mocked the suffering of others".

An Oxford University spokesperson said on Friday: "The Oxford Union is independent of the University.

"We deplore comments appearing to endorse violence - they are unacceptable and entirely contrary to the values of our community."

A man has been jailed for 34 years over his role in a gangland shooting that left a nine-year-old girl with a bullet lodged in her brain.

Javon Riley, 33, was convicted last month of causing grievous bodily harm with intent after the girl was hit in the head by the first of six bullets fired from a passing motorbike at a restaurant on Kingsland High Street, Dalston, last May.

Riley was also sentenced over the attempted murder of three men - Mustafa Kiziltan, Kenan Aydogdu, and Nasser Ali - who were sitting at tables outside the Evin Restaurant that night.

The gunman and weapon used in the shooting in east London have never been found.

Sentencing him on Friday, Judge Mark Lucraft KC said the gang rivalry had seen a number of "tit for tat" murders and attempted murders in London and overseas over the past 10 years.

The three men who were shot were said to be affiliated with the Hackney Turks organised crime gang, who had a rivalry with the Tottenham Turks, with whom Riley had links, jurors had heard.

The gunman is at large but prosecutors said Riley had played a "key role" before, during and after the shooting.

Riley carried out reconnaissance of the restaurant before the attack, scouted for potential targets and drove the gunman away in a stolen car, which was later burnt out.

The nine-year-old girl spent three months in hospital and will suffer with lifelong physical and cognitive problems as the bullet remains lodged in her brain.

The three adult male victims received gunshot wounds to the arm, leg and thigh.

Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to hello.bbclondon@bbc.co.uk

If mealtimes with your child sometimes feel more like negotiations than nourishment, you aren't alone. According to the NHS, more than half of children will show fussy eating habits at some point.

Charlotte Stirling-Reed, a child and baby nutritionist, spoke to the CBeebies Parental Helpline about the best ways to manage it and said it's important not to blame yourself.

"It's a really normal part of many children's development. There are so many families out there dealing with this.

"Don't feel like it's just you because it isn't."

1. Let them choose

Whilst seemingly counterintuitive, Charlotte says allowing a child to pick what they want to eat can actually encourage them to try more things.

"If your little one says, 'I don't want to eat this food,' then saying to them, 'that's okay,' is a much more helpful stance."

As the child grows, they need to make their own decisions, so not suppressing this can help.

"Kids want autonomy, and us saying to them, 'you don't have to eat it' can often permit them to decide eating it is their choice."

She also suggests allowing them to leave the table when they want, saying prolonging mealtimes will only make the situation worse.

2. Don't label food as good and bad

Labelling different foods as good or bad can ultimately impact a child's relationship with what they are eating, says Charlotte.

"Try and be neutral. Avoid 'if you eat that, you'll get a reward or punishment'. Any of that can have a really negative effect on children."

Instead, Charlotte encourages parents to teach children about balance.

"We don't need to shame different foods, but we might eat some foods less frequently than others.

"I wouldn't have the conversation about what's healthier or what's not. I'd model it, I'd show them what moderation and variety and balance looks like."

3. Make enjoyment the priority

Making meals a more enjoyable experience away from the food itself can take attention away from the problem and encourage them to eat, says Charlotte.

This also helps shift the association of the table as a place where they don't want to be.

"Get a book out, anything you can do to make them want to be at the table. Then you could always say 'we're going to put that book away now and we're going to have our food'.

"But try not to focus on the food. Try and make the dinner table time fun, chat to them a lot."

4. Be mindful of appetite

As a child reaches the age of one, their growth can begin to slow, which can cause an appetite dip.

"There are peaks and troughs. Just like we don't always have the same appetite every day, it's the same for our kids."

She says being mindful of this is important.

"It's called responsive feeding, letting them dictate how much they eat. So we set a structure, like breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We offer it at that time and we choose what foods, but we should try and let them decide how much."

If your child is active and growing, then they're probably getting enough food. However, if you're concerned about your child's limited diet or you think they may have other sensory issues, then it's always worth discussing it with your GP.

5. Get them involved

Including your child as much as possible in food prep and meals can help them become more adventurous.

Charlotte says simple activities such as helping lay the table, stirring or spreading mixtures, doing the shopping together or even reading about food can all help.

She also advises exposing them to a wide range of foods.

"Children like familiarity. So the more they become familiar with all these foods, the more likely they are to accept them."

This doesn't have to take a lot of time. Charlotte recommends using food items that are quick to use and nutrient-heavy.

"Things like ground nuts, ground seeds, a handful of frozen fruit or vegetables.

"And also products that you can make a very quick meal out of, such as mixing tinned tomatoes, lentils and frozen veggies, and voila, you've got a really healthy, nutrient-dense pasta sauce."

For more advice on fussy eating see the NHS guide.