U.S. President Donald Trump praised conservative activist Charlie Kirk as a “martyr for American freedom” at a memorial service in Arizona on Sunday, while accusing the left of responsibility for his killing without offering evidence.
Tens of thousands filled State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, for a memorial that combined Christian music, emotional tributes and political rhetoric. The 63,000-seat arena appeared full, with mourners waving flags and many in “Make America Great Again” attire. Security was tight, with metal detectors and a large police presence.
Trump’s remarks diverged from the largely solemn tone of other speakers, turning the memorial into a campaign-style rally.
“The violence comes largely from the left,” he said, echoing claims he made before a suspect was detained.
He added, “He did not hate his opponents. That’s where I disagreed with Charlie. I hate my opponents.”
Kirk’s widow, Erika, who has assumed leadership of his group Turning Point USA, delivered an emotional eulogy, telling mourners her husband died “without regrets” and offering forgiveness to the 22-year-old charged with his murder.
“My husband Charlie wanted to save young men, just like the one who took his life,” she said.
Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth also spoke, underlining Kirk’s influence in conservative politics. Vance credited Kirk with mobilising young voters who helped secure Trump’s return to office.
Other speakers, including White House adviser Stephen Miller, struck a combative tone. “You have no idea the dragon you have awakened,” Miller said. “We will fight that much harder to save this civilization.”
Kirk, 31, was shot dead during a campus event in Utah on 10 September. The suspect, a 22-year-old student, has been charged with murder. Investigators are still seeking a motive, examining text messages and inscriptions on bullet casings that could reference groups across the political spectrum.
Civil rights groups had long criticised Kirk for rhetoric they said was racist, anti-immigrant and misogynistic, while supporters praised him as a defender of conservative values. His killing has fuelled concerns about rising political violence in the U.S.
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard told mourners that Kirk’s death showed “political fanatics” often resort to violence, but that his voice would now be “louder than ever.”
The memorial highlighted how Kirk’s killing has deepened partisan divides. Critics warned Trump’s rhetoric risks inflaming tensions further at a time of heightened political unrest.
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The imposing figures of three Confederate leaders, carved into the granite face of Georgia’s Stone Mountain, have loomed over the landscape outside Atlanta since the 1970s, a silent tribute to the Southern cause in the U.S. Civil War.
Europe must strengthen its own digital infrastructure to lessen reliance on U.S. providers, though this should not mean cutting ties with them entirely, Germany’s Digital Minister Karsten Wildberger told Reuters.
U.S. Ambassador to India Sergio Gor said he held talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, focusing on key bilateral issues including trade, defence, and technology.
On Monday, Egypt will host an international peace summit in the Red Sea city of Sharm el-Sheikh, co-chaired by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and U.S. President Donald Trump.
Video from the USGS (United States Geological Survey) showed on Friday (19 September) the Kilauea volcano in Hawaii erupting and spewing lava.
At least 69 people have died and almost 150 injured following a powerful 6.9-magnitude earthquake off the coast of Cebu City in the central Visayas region of the Philippines, officials said, making it one of the country’s deadliest disasters this year.
Authorities in California have identified the dismembered body discovered in a Tesla registered to singer D4vd as 15-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, who had been missing from Lake Elsinore since April 2024.
A powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula on 13 September with no tsunami threat, coming just weeks after the region endured a devastating 8.8-magnitude quake — the strongest since 1952.
A shooting in Nice, southeastern France, left two people dead and five injured on Friday, authorities said.
China says it is ready to develop its relationship with North Korea to strengthen strategic cooperation in international and regional affairs, North Korea's state media KCNA reported.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for 12 October, covering the latest developments you need to know.
The imposing figures of three Confederate leaders, carved into the granite face of Georgia’s Stone Mountain, have loomed over the landscape outside Atlanta since the 1970s, a silent tribute to the Southern cause in the U.S. Civil War.
Europe must strengthen its own digital infrastructure to lessen reliance on U.S. providers, though this should not mean cutting ties with them entirely, Germany’s Digital Minister Karsten Wildberger told Reuters.
U.S. Ambassador to India Sergio Gor said he held talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, focusing on key bilateral issues including trade, defence, and technology.
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