Israel kills 34 in Gaza strikes as UN prepares to debate Palestinian statehood

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September 21, 2025

GLENDALE, Ariz. — President Donald Trump and top figures of the “Make America Great Again” movement will gather Sunday at State Farm Stadium to honor Charlie Kirk, the conservative activist whose assassination has become a flashpoint in America’s polarized political climate.

The memorial for Kirk, who Trump credits as instrumental in his 2024 election victory, is expected to draw tens of thousands of mourners, including Vice President JD Vance, senior administration officials, and young conservatives shaped by the 31-year-old’s influence.

Kirk was fatally shot Sept. 10 while speaking at Utah Valley University, an attack prosecutors say was carried out by 22-year-old Tyler Robinson. Authorities have charged Robinson with capital murder and said he could face the death penalty if convicted. A motive has not been fully established, though prosecutors disclosed Robinson sent a text afterward saying he had “had enough” of Kirk’s rhetoric.

Political flashpoint after Kirk’s assassination

Kirk’s death has ignited fierce debate over political violence, free speech, and decency in public life. Trump has blamed the “radical left” for the killing and accused Democrats of refusing to condemn it. He blasted House Democrats who opposed a resolution last week honoring Kirk’s life and legacy, saying: “Who could vote against that? All Republicans were saying was ‘Please condemn the assassination of a human being.’”

At the same time, the Trump administration has escalated efforts to punish those who celebrated or criticized Kirk following his death. Dozens of individuals, including teachers and journalists, have lost their jobs after comments were deemed offensive. The Federal Communications Commission, led by a Trump appointee, pressured ABC into pulling Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night program indefinitely after backlash over remarks about Kirk. The State Department also warned it may revoke visas of foreigners who publicly celebrated his assassination.

The administration’s actions have stirred renewed concerns over First Amendment rights, with critics accusing Trump of weaponizing Kirk’s death to suppress dissent.

Kirk’s rise and conservative legacy

Born outside Chicago, Kirk founded Turning Point USA as a teenager and later moved its headquarters to Phoenix, building it into a multimillion-dollar powerhouse that mobilized young Christian conservatives nationwide. Known for his sharp debating style and willingness to provoke, Kirk often drew criticism for remarks many labeled racist, misogynistic, or anti-LGBTQ. His supporters dismissed those claims as cherry-picked attacks designed to undermine his larger legacy.

Despite controversy, Kirk became a MAGA celebrity with loyal followers who flocked to his events across the country. Trump often highlighted Kirk’s influence, and Vance has said Kirk’s advocacy was central to his own selection as vice president.

A high-profile memorial

Sunday’s service at the Arizona Cardinals’ stadium, where security will be comparable to a Super Bowl, underscores Kirk’s national profile. Trump, Vance, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard are among the scheduled speakers.

Trump’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., conservative commentator Tucker Carlson, and senior White House aides Stephen Miller and Sergio Gor will also deliver remarks.

The program will feature music from worship leader Chris Tomlin, Brandon Lake, Phil Wickham, and Kari Jobe Carnes with her husband Cody Carnes. Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk — newly named head of Turning Point — will address the crowd, pledging to carry forward her late husband’s mission.

“The movement my husband built will not die,” she said earlier this week.

Haitian police kill ex-rebel leader Wilfort Ferdinand at checkpoint

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September 21, 2025

Indiana, PA (BN24) – Haitian police confirmed Thursday that officers shot and killed former rebel leader Wilfort Ferdinand after he allegedly opened fire at a checkpoint in the coastal city of Gonaïves earlier this week.

Police spokesman Michel-Ange Louis Jeune said the confrontation unfolded Tuesday when Ferdinand approached the checkpoint in a vehicle with tinted windows, then reversed and fired at officers. Police returned fire, killing Ferdinand and another unidentified passenger.

Authorities said the checkpoint was part of an operation targeting the Kokorat San Ras gang, which dominates the Artibonite region and has been blamed for extreme violence in recent months.

Ferdinand, widely known as Kòmandan Ti Wil, played a central role in the 2004 armed uprising that toppled former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. He was a key figure in the Artibonite Resistance Front and an ally of Guy Philippe, another former rebel commander.

“Police had no intention of killing anyone,” Jeune told The Associated Press, describing the shooting as an unavoidable response to being attacked.

In the hours after Ferdinand’s death, residents reported heavy gunfire in Gonaïves, and graphic images of his body quickly spread on social media. The killing has sparked ongoing protests in the city, where demonstrations have forced businesses to close and tensions remain high.

Ferdinand’s death marks a significant blow to former rebel networks in Haiti but also threatens to deepen unrest in one of the country’s most volatile regions.

Messi scores twice, adds assist as Inter Miami beats D.C. United 3-2 in MLS thriller

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September 20, 2025

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (BN24) — Lionel Messi once again proved decisive for Inter Miami, scoring two goals and providing an assist in a 3-2 victory over D.C. United at Chase Stadium on Saturday night.

The Argentine superstar set up Miami’s opening goal in the first half, threading a pass from midfield to Tadeo Allende, who finished to put the hosts ahead. But D.C. United responded quickly after halftime, equalizing through Christian Benteke as Miami’s defense faltered.

From there, Messi took over. In the 67th minute, Jordi Alba slipped a pass into the box, and Messi calmly finished past goalkeeper Alex Barazza to restore Miami’s lead. Just minutes later, Messi struck again with a trademark curling effort from outside the area, burying the ball into the top corner to make it 3-1.

Miami could have extended its advantage when youngster Mateo Silvetti was awarded a penalty, but his shot hit the crossbar. D.C. United kept fighting and pulled a goal back deep into stoppage time when Jacob Murrell converted from close range after a quick counter led by Benteke. The late strike narrowed the score but came too late to change the outcome.

Messi’s performance — two goals and one assist — electrified the sold-out crowd, further fueling Miami’s push toward the MLS Supporters’ Shield. The win highlighted Messi’s connection with Alba, who has slotted seamlessly into Miami’s attacking system, and the club will also welcome back Luis Suárez from suspension in its next match.

Despite the victory, Miami coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino noted that his side missed several chances and will need sharper finishing against tougher opponents. Still, the night belonged to Messi, who continues to deliver game-changing moments in Major League Soccer.

Inter Miami will travel to face New York City FC on Sept. 25, while D.C. United, still searching for consistency, will meet Eastern Conference leaders Philadelphia Union the same day.

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s YouTube account taken offline amid rising tensions with U.S.

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September 20, 2025

CARACAS, Venezuela (BN24) — Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s official YouTube account went offline late Friday, sparking accusations from state-run broadcaster Telesur that the platform had “eliminated” the channel without explanation.

The account, which had more than 200,000 followers, was widely used by Maduro to share televised speeches, appearances on his weekly state-run show, and messages aimed at supporters. Its sudden disappearance came as tensions between Caracas and Washington continue to escalate over U.S. military deployments in the southern Caribbean.

Google, YouTube’s parent company, did not immediately respond to requests for comment on why the account was removed. According to YouTube’s policies, accounts may be terminated if they commit repeated violations of community guidelines, including the spread of misinformation, hate speech, or content deemed to interfere with democratic processes.

Maduro, who has long faced accusations of undermining democracy, has been at the center of political controversy since last year’s presidential election. Opposition groups insist that tally sheets gathered by hundreds of activists showed he lost the race by a wide margin, but Venezuela’s state-controlled elections agency never published official documents to verify its claim that Maduro won.

In addition to political unrest, Maduro remains under criminal indictment in the United States. A New York federal court charged him in 2020 with conspiring to traffic cocaine into the U.S., and earlier this year the Trump administration doubled the bounty on his capture to $50 million. U.S. officials have frequently described the Venezuelan president as operating like a cartel leader.

Despite ongoing oil sales to the United States and limited cooperation on deportation flights, relations between the two nations have sharply deteriorated in recent months. Washington has deployed eight warships and 2,000 Marines to the southern Caribbean in what the White House described as an anti-drug trafficking mission. The flotilla, outfitted with long-range missile systems, has destroyed at least three speedboats allegedly carrying narcotics, killing more than a dozen suspected traffickers, U.S. officials said.

Venezuelan authorities, however, denounced the deployment as a violation of national sovereignty and part of what they claim is a broader effort by Washington to topple Maduro’s government.

The disappearance of Maduro’s YouTube channel adds a new layer of confrontation to an already volatile relationship, deepening tensions between the two countries as accusations of censorship and foreign interference mount.

Gunmen kill Ecuador footballer in latest wave of violence targeting athletes

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September 20, 2025

ESMERALDAS, Ecuador (BN24) — Ecuadorian footballer Jonathan González was shot and killed Friday in the coastal province of Esmeraldas, marking the third fatal attack on a professional player in the country this month, police confirmed.

The 31-year-old midfielder, known by fans as “Speedy” González, was gunned down inside a house in Esmeraldas, a region near the Colombian border that has become a flashpoint in Ecuador’s spiraling drug violence. A second, unidentified victim also died en route to a hospital following the shooting.

Authorities have not released a motive for the attack. González previously played for top clubs including Olimpia in Paraguay and León in Mexico, and most recently represented second-division side 22 de Julio FC.

His death follows the killings of two Exapromo Costa FC players earlier this month in a separate shooting in Manta, a southwestern coastal city. Maicol Valencia was killed on the scene on September 10, while his teammate, Leandro Yepez, died from his injuries two days later. The club said the players were not the intended targets.

The Ecuadorian Football Federation and multiple domestic clubs offered condolences to González’s family following news of his death.

Ecuador, positioned between the world’s two largest cocaine producers Colombia and Peru has seen a surge in organized crime and gang-related violence in recent years. Once considered one of the region’s safer nations, its homicide rate soared from six per 100,000 people in 2018 to a record 47 in 2023, before slightly declining to 38 last year.

With drug trafficking routes shifting and criminal networks expanding, the killings of high-profile athletes have further underscored the deepening crisis in the Andean nation.

South Africa police uncover $20M crystal meth lab on rural farm

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September 20, 2025

VOLKSRUST, South Africa (BN24) — South African authorities have dismantled a large-scale crystal methamphetamine laboratory valued at $20 million, uncovering the illicit operation on a remote farm in the eastern province of Mpumalanga, police confirmed on Friday.

Five suspects from a North American country were arrested during the raid, while two others, believed to be from West African nations, escaped the scene, according to a police statement. The raid took place in Volksrust, about 225 kilometers (140 miles) southwest of Johannesburg.

Photos released by the police showed industrial-grade manufacturing equipment, digital weighing scales, and containers—including lunch boxes stuffed with what appeared to be crystal meth. Officers also recovered a pellet gun loaded with blank rounds and found three live bullets in the possession of the farm’s caretaker, who was also taken into custody.

The discovery marks the latest in a series of high-profile drug busts in South Africa, which has emerged as a key player in the global narcotics trade. In a 2022 Global State of Harm Reduction report, the country was identified as one of the world’s largest consumer markets for crystal meth. Its geographic location and porous borders make it an increasingly important hub for drug transit, the United Nations has warned.

Authorities say the bust echoes a similar case from last year, when two Mexican nationals and two South Africans were arrested following the discovery of another meth lab on a remote farm in a different region of the country.

The latest operation highlights ongoing concerns about South Africa’s role in the international drug trade and the growing sophistication of criminal networks operating within its borders.

Malawi Police arrest 8 over alleged electoral fraud amid presidential vote tensions

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September 20, 2025

BLANTYRE, Malawi (BN24) – Malawi police have arrested eight individuals on suspicion of manipulating election results as tensions mount over the outcome of the country’s closely watched presidential vote. The arrests come amid heightened scrutiny of the vote-counting process, with official results still pending days after Tuesday’s general election.

Inspector General of Police Merlyne Yolamu confirmed the arrests, stating that the suspects were employed as data entry clerks and are alleged to have attempted to alter vote tallies. Authorities have not yet released specific details on how the figures were allegedly manipulated, but the arrests have intensified public concern over the credibility of the electoral process.

The Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) remains on high alert following the country’s 2019 election, which the Constitutional Court invalidated due to extensive irregularities, including vote tampering and the use of correction fluid commonly known by the brand name Tipp-Ex—on official tally sheets. That historic ruling led to a court-ordered re-run, widely regarded as a major step forward for democratic accountability in the southern African nation.

Preliminary results from the current election indicate former President Peter Mutharika is leading the presidential race, with incumbent President Lazarus Chakwera trailing in second place. Under Malawian electoral law, a candidate must secure more than 50% of the vote to avoid a runoff. The full count from all 36 districts is expected to be completed by the end of the weekend, though the electoral commission has until Wednesday to announce the final certified results.

Amid the wait, Chakwera’s Malawi Congress Party has formally submitted a complaint to the electoral commission, alleging counting irregularities without disclosing specific instances. A second opposition group, the United Democratic Front, whose presidential candidate, Atupele Muluzi, is also in the race, has filed a separate complaint. Muluzi told reporters at a Saturday press conference that his party had documented “serious irregularities in multiple tallying centres.” However, he did not provide evidence publicly, claiming the documentation was submitted directly to the commission.

Electoral officials have emphasized that the results will only be declared after all votes are tallied and verified to prevent legal challenges or public unrest. The country’s democratic institutions remain under pressure to deliver a transparent process, particularly given the precedent set in 2019 when the judiciary overturned the election results due to proven systemic malpractice.

With political tensions simmering and accusations mounting, all eyes remain on the electoral commission as Malawians await clarity on who will lead the nation for the next five years.

Drone strike on Sudan mosque kills 78 amid intensifying battle for El-Fasher

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September 20, 2025

EL-FASHER, Sudan (BN24) – At least 78 people were killed and about 20 others injured after a drone strike hit a mosque in the besieged city of El-Fasher, the last Sudanese army stronghold in the Darfur region, a senior medical source told the BBC on Saturday.

The deadly airstrike struck during morning prayers on Friday, flattening the mosque in western El-Fasher and leaving dozens of bodies trapped beneath the rubble. One eyewitness described the moment as a “scene of horror,” with many worshippers killed instantly.

While the attack has been blamed on the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the group has not officially claimed responsibility. The RSF, which has been engaged in a brutal two-year civil war against Sudan’s army, has been steadily advancing in Darfur, with El-Fasher—home to more than 300,000 civilians—now nearly encircled.

The BBC has verified disturbing footage from the aftermath of the strike, showing around 30 bodies wrapped in shrouds and blankets lying next to the destroyed mosque. Recovery efforts are still underway, and casualty figures may rise.

El-Fasher has become a central battleground as RSF forces intensify their campaign to take full control of the western region. This week, the paramilitaries launched a new offensive, targeting Abu Shouk, a camp for internally displaced people on the outskirts of the city. Satellite imagery analyzed by Yale University’s Humanitarian Research Lab (HRL) shows RSF forces now occupy significant parts of the camp.

Further images and verified video footage confirm that RSF troops have breached the headquarters of the Joint Forces, an alliance of armed groups aligned with the Sudanese military, located inside a former United Nations compound. Though full control of the base remains unconfirmed, its seizure would place key military assets—including El-Fasher’s airport and division headquarters—within direct RSF firing range.

According to the HRL, the city will likely fall without immediate reinforcements to the Sudanese army positions. A complete RSF takeover would solidify control of western Sudan, effectively splitting the country, with the army holding the north and east.

The battle for El-Fasher has sparked alarm among humanitarian organizations and international observers. The United Nations on Friday warned of the “increasing ethnicisation of the conflict,” citing attacks against civilians accused of siding with the opposing force. Analysts fear a potential massacre, as El-Fasher’s remaining population largely consists of non-Arab ethnic groups, whom the RSF reportedly views as adversaries.

Doctors Without Borders, operating in the region, recently accused RSF fighters of threatening to “clean El-Fasher” of its non-Arab population, a statement they described as chilling evidence of a campaign of ethnic cleansing. The RSF has previously denied involvement in tribal violence, insisting it is not responsible for “ethnic or tribal conflicts.”

The latest assault underscores the devastating toll of Sudan’s spiraling conflict, which has displaced millions and killed tens of thousands since erupting in 2023. With El-Fasher on the brink and international mediation efforts stalled, the humanitarian crisis in Darfur deepens by the day.

South African hospital worker arrested carrying human placentas in plastic bag

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September 20, 2025