Month: September 2025

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio landed in Israel on Sunday morning, where he held talks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu focused on the ongoing war in Gaza. Before his departure, Rubio posted on social media outlining the priorities of his visit: securing the release of hostages, ensuring humanitarian aid reaches civilians, and confronting the threat posed by Hamas. Rubio said that “Hamas cannot continue to exist if peace in the region is the goal.”

As Rubio meets with Netanyahu, an Arab-Islamic summit will be held Monday in Qatar’s capital, Doha, where preparations have begun. The meeting seeks to draft a response to Israel’s attack in Qatar, as Arab nations face pressure to take meaningful action rather than making statements that have been viewed as ineffective. After Israel’s strike, the United States reportedly asked the Persian Gulf nation to continue its mediation efforts as Prime Minister Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani said in a statement that Qatar “reserves the right to respond” to the attack. (per UPI).

Upon arriving at Ben Gurion Airport, Rubio and his wife, Jeanette Dousdebes Rubio, were welcomed by U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee and his wife, Janet. Shortly after, Rubio met privately with Netanyahu before the two made a joint visit to the Western Wall in Jerusalem, one of Judaism’s holiest sites. Netanyahu noted that he and Rubio placed a handwritten note in the cracks of the ancient stones, a longstanding tradition at the site. The visit included a tour of the archaeological area surrounding the Western Wall, joined by Netanyahu’s wife, Sara, as well as Rubio’s wife and the Huckabees.

Speaking about Rubio’s presence, Netanyahu said, “I think his visit here is a testament to the resilience and strength of the American-Israeli alliance, which is as durable and strong as the stones of the Western Wall that we just touched.”

According to a statement from Netanyahu, he and Rubio also offered a joint prayer for the hostages still held in Gaza, along with a prayer honoring President Donald Trump, whom the Israeli leader described as “a true friend of the Jewish people and the State of Israel.” Netanyahu went on to praise the U.S. partnership under Trump and Rubio’s leadership, stating that “under President Trump, Secretary Rubio and their entire team, this alliance has never been stronger, and we appreciate it very much. Not only on behalf of the people of Israel today, but also on behalf of the generations of Jews who came before us, in the hope that we will rebuild our country with friends like you. Thank you, Marco.”

According to the U.S. State Department, Rubio is expected to “convey America’s priorities in the Israel-Hamas conflict and broader issues concerning Middle Eastern security, reaffirming U.S. commitment to Israeli security” during his meetings with Netanyahu and other Israeli officials.

High on the agenda is Israel’s planned operation to take control of Gaza City, the largest urban center in the Gaza Strip. Israel issued evacuation orders last week for city residents, warning that military operations there would be conducted “with great force.”

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The FBI announced it is offering a reward of up to $100,000 for information leading to the identification and arrest of the person responsible for the assassination of Charlie Kirk, the founder of the conservative youth activist organization Turning Point USA, during an event at Utah Valley University on Wednesday.

Authorities also released images of a person of interest sought in connection with the fatal shooting of Kirk, as the manhunt for the suspect (who is believed to be college-aged) continues. Officials said during press conference on Thursday that they are working “around the clock” to locate the individual.

The FBI’s Salt Lake City office said on X while sharing two images of the individual: “we are asking for the public’s help identifying this person of interest in connection with the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University.”  The images, which show a man wearing a baseball cap and sunglasses.

Officials also released a new video on Thursday evening, which was played during a news conference with state and federal officials, of the person of interest. In the latest video, the suspected gunman can be seen climbing down from the roof of a building on the campus of Utah Valley University where authorities believe he fired the fatal shot and fled rom the scene. Authorities said they have received more than 7,000 tips and leads and completed some 200 interviews.

Utah Department of Public Safety Commissioner Beau Mason said on Thursday that officials said they have been able to track the movements of the shooter and have video footage of the individual. The suspect is said to have arrived Wednesday at 11:52 a.m. on the Orem campus, and then proceeded to travel through the stairwells up to the roof of a building near the where the outdoors event was taking place, before the suspect fired down at Kirk – who was hit by a single shot at approximately 12:20 p.m. and taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

After the shooting, the suspect traveled to the other side of building, jumped off and fled off-campus into a neighborhood.  The FBI stated it has recovered what is believed to be the weapon used in the deadly shooting. According to Salt Lake City FBI Special Agent Robert Bohls, a “high-powered bolt action rifle” was recovered in a wooded area near where the shooting took place.   The rifle is an older model imported Mauser .30-06 caliber bolt action rifle wrapped in a towel. The location of the firearm appears to match the suspect’s route of travel, officials said.  he spent cartridge was still chambered and three unspent cartridges contained wording on them expressing what some law enforcement officials described as “transgender and anti-fascist” writing.  The firearm and ammunition have been taken by the FBI for DNA analysis and fingerprint impressions.

The FBI asked for tips from the public as the manhunt for the perpetrator continues, urging anyone with information, photos or video from the incident to share it with investigators by calling the FBI (1-800-CALL-FBI) or submitting images and videos to fbi.gov/utahvalleyshooting.

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Authorities confirmed on Thursday that the student who opened fire Wednesday at a high school in suburban Denver, injuring two other students, died Wednesday night of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

The incident was reported shortly after 12:30 p.m. at Evergreen High School, located in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains about 30 miles west of Denver.  Gunfire broke out both inside the school and on the grounds outside, with deputies arriving within minutes and locating the suspect about five minutes after they arrived.

The shooter was identified on Thursday as 16-year-old Desmond Holly. At a press conference, Jacki Kelley, a public information officer with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, said Holly had been “radicalized by some extremist network.” Kelly noted that Holly had taken a bus to school that morning, used a revolver in the attack, and had “quite a bit of ammunition.” She added that “the suspect’s gun was fired a lot. The reason we have so many crime scenes is because we have windows that were shot up, we have lockers that were shot up. We have spent rounds, unspent rounds. It’s a huge area.” (per local news outlet Denver7.)

The attack appeared to be both “random and targeted,” Kelley said. One of the victims was shot inside the school while the other was shot outside; the two injured students were taken to nearby St. Anthony Hospital. One was released and the other was in critical condition, the sheriff’s office said. It did not release their names.

Kelley confirmed that none of the responding officers discharged their weapons, and said that more than 100 law enforcement personnel from across the region rushed to assist.  Three students — including the shooter — were treated for gunshot wounds, while a fourth student took themselves to the hospital with injuries sustained while escaping the high school and fleeing to a nearby elementary school.

More than 900 students attend Evergreen High School, located about 28 miles southwest of Denver and less than a mile from the center of Evergreen, a mountain town of about 9,300 people. Jefferson County is the same community where the 1999 Columbine High School shooting took place that killed 14 and injured more than 20. Those shootings were carried out by two Columbine students.

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