US authorities released images of a ‘person of interest’ in connection with the Charlie Kirk shooting © Utah Department of Public Safety
🚨 Manhunt underway: Conservative activist and close Trump ally Charlie Kirk was shot and killed Wednesday while speaking at a Utah college campus.
The shooter, who used a "high-powered bolt-action rifle," remains unidentified and at large.
"We find ourselves hunting a murderer."
🇺🇸 Why it matters: The assassination of an influential right-wing figure is stoking fears that the country has entered a more perilous phase of political violence amid rising polarization.
Kirk was considered a "genius" and an "unflinching ally" in President Trump's eyes and was crucial to rallying a new generation of conservative voters.
Among conservative Christians, he is now being called a martyr.
🔎 What we know: The gunman fired from a roof approximately 430 feet away from where Kirk was speaking. After the shooting, he ran across the roof, jumped off the building, and fled.
The suspect is described as a male who "appears to be of college age".
Key evidence: Investigators have recovered the rifle from a wooded area near the campus. They also have video footage tracking the suspect's movements and have found a palm imprint, a forearm imprint, and a "footwear impression".
The search continues: Authorities are using facial recognition on the video footage and will release the suspect's image publicly if they are unsuccessful.
🏛️ Inside the White House: President Trump was "apparently shocked" after being briefed on the attack Wednesday afternoon. By evening, his shock had turned to fury.
In a video address, Trump blamed the killing on rhetoric from the "radical left".
The White House also lowered flags to half-staff in Kirk's honor.
"This kind of rhetoric is directly responsible for the terrorism that we're seeing in our country today."
⚖️ Reality check: While President Trump blamed the left for the attack on Kirk, other recent events show political violence is not a one-way street.
This past June, a man in Minnesota was charged in what prosecutors called a "politically motivated assassination" of a Democratic state lawmaker, Melissa Hortman, and her husband.
This year, Pennsylvania's Democratic governor Josh Shapiro was the victim of an arson attack and assassination attempt.
💥 The fallout:
Vice President JD Vance canceled his planned trip to Ground Zero for the 9/11 anniversary and will instead visit Salt Lake City to pay respects to Kirk's family.
MSNBC fired political analyst Matthew Dowd for on-air comments suggesting Kirk had been "pushing" hate speech. Dowd later apologized, saying he did not intend to blame Kirk for the attack.
Peter Mandelson
Lord Peter Mandelson has been sacked as the UK's ambassador to the U.S. after days of intense criticism over his connections to the paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. The move raises significant questions about Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer's judgment in appointing him.
Why it matters: The timing is hugely damaging for the prime minister, as Mandelson's dismissal comes just days before a state visit to Britain by Donald Trump, who also had ties to Epstein. The scandal now puts Starmer's choice of senior appointments under the microscope.
The firing was decided on Thursday morning by Starmer and Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper after they reviewed a newly released stash of correspondence between the envoy and Epstein.
"He has no backbone and no convictions. There are now serious questions over what Starmer knew and when. We deserve to know."
The details 📧: The Foreign Office stated that the newly surfaced emails show the "depth and extent of Peter Mandelson's relationship with Jeffrey Epstein is materially different" from what was understood at the time of his appointment.
The government insisted this new information was not available during the vetting process.
The emails revealed Mandelson's belief that Epstein's first conviction was "wrongful and should be challenged," which the Foreign Office called "new information".
In one 2008 email, Mandelson told Epstein, "I think the world of you and I feel hopeless and furious about what has happened," urging him to be "incredibly resilient" and adding, "Your friends stay with you and love you".
He also called the financier his "best pal" in a book of messages for Epstein's 50th birthday in 2003.
"The circumstances surrounding the announcement today are ones which I deeply regret. I continue to feel utterly awful about my association with Epstein 20 years ago and the plight of his victims."
What's next? Mandelson's deputy, James Roscoe, will serve as the acting ambassador in Washington. Speculation has already started on a permanent successor, with names being floated including former Labour Foreign Secretary David Miliband and former Tory Chancellor George Osborne.
🇩🇪 German Auto's EV Reality Check
A vibe shift is palpable at Munich's International Motor Show, where German auto giants like BMW, Mercedes, and Volkswagen are grappling with an EV identity crisis.
Why it matters: As they pour billions into electric models, they're facing a harsh reality: shrinking market share and plummeting profits in a market increasingly dominated by Tesla and new Chinese players.
📉 By the Numbers: The financial strain is showing. Mercedes, for instance, reported a staggering 60% drop in earnings in the first half of this year, even as it premiered its new GLC electric SUV.
The Big Picture: German carmakers are in a tough spot. They are investing heavily to go electric, but face several key challenges:
Fierce competition: New, agile players are redefining the EV market.
High domestic costs: "Globally, there's hardly any place more expensive to build cars than Germany," putting them at a significant disadvantage.
A "sobering outlook": The industry faces potential job losses for 200,000 workers in the coming five years.
🗣️ What They're Saying: Industry experts and insiders are sounding the alarm.
On brand identity: Volkswagen's Chief Designer emphasized the need to retain their classic feel, stating, "Our core consumers need to know that this is a Volkswagen." This highlights the tightrope walk of innovation versus heritage.
On market strategy: Car industry consultant Team Cronin advises German producers to refocus on their traditional strengths in the competitive Chinese market: "quality, safety, and dependability."
🛣️ The Road Ahead: The future is a mixed bag for German automakers.
The combustion engine isn't dead yet. Cronin believes its importance is "underrated," predicting a future with a portfolio of combustion engines, BEVs, and hybrids.
The 2035 zero-emission deadline is a major hurdle. VW brand head Thomas Schaefer hinted at the need for flexibility, stating, "We need to stay on the path towards decarbonization... But perhaps that timeline, 2035, is not the right one anymore."
The bottom line: German carmakers are at a crossroads, forced to navigate a challenging transition while trying to hold onto their legacy and loyal customer base.