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Charlie Kirk was answering question about transgender shooters when he was assassinated

Witnesses reportedly said political activist Charlie Kirk was answering a question about transgender shooters when he was fatally shot during an event at Utah Valley University on Wednesday.

A kid came up and asked a question about how many transgender shooters there were,” Emma Pitts and Eva Terry, who are reporters for Deseret News, said as they described the scene, per CNN.

And Charlie gave him another comment and then he asked one more question, and so the question was about shooters and before Charlie Kirk could pick up the mic again, that’s when the shot happened,” they said.

Another witness said he thinks it is “interesting” Kirk was shot right after answering a question about if transgender people should be allowed to own guns.

“And then boom,” the witness said.

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Revealed: Keir Starmer edited manual on interpreting human rights laws that prevent Britain from deporting small boat migrants

Sir Keir Starmer edited the manual on how to interpret the human rights laws that are preventing Britain from deporting small-boat migrants.

The Prime Minister edited a guide on the Human Rights Act 1998 and the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) in 1999 when he was a human rights lawyer.

A copy of the book revealed Sir Keir hailed the Human Rights Act as having ‘enormous potential’ and representing a ‘new way of thinking’ about the law.

It came as the Attorney General yesterday ruled out leaving the ECHR and claimed it would be counterproductive for Britain to leave the Convention to tackle illegal migration.

Appearing before the Lords constitution committee, Lord Hermer said ministers would leave ‘no stone unturned’ on the issue. Yet he went on: ‘The Prime Minister has been absolutely crystal clear that we will not be leaving the ECHR.

‘There are a number of reasons for that, but at the heart of it is because it would be completely contrary to the national interest of this country were we to do so.’

Lord Hermer said the UK would only be able to tackle illegal migration by cooperating with Europe if it remains compliant with the ECHR.

‘To leave, as some people are now advocating, would be entirely counterproductive if what we are seeking is not rhetorical answers but real, practical answers,’ he added.

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Longtime head of Mexican megachurch is indicted in New York on federal sex trafficking charges

The longtime head of a Mexican megachurch who is serving more than 16 years in a California prison for sexually abusing young followers has been charged with racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking for allegedly victimizing members of the church for decades, authorities said Wednesday.

A federal grand jury in New York returned the indictment alleging that Naasón Joaquín García, 56, and five others exploited the church for decades to enable the systemic sexual abuse of children and women for the sexual gratification of García and his father, who died in 2014.

The newly unsealed indictment said the criminal activity included the creation of photos and videos of child sexual abuse.

García was taken into federal custody early Wednesday in Chino, California, where he is serving a more than 16-year sentence after pleading guilty in 2022 to two state counts

His lawyers did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

García is the head of La Luz del Mundo (The Light of the World), which claims to have 5 million followers worldwide. Believers consider him to be the “apostle” of Jesus Christ.

Prosecutors in California have said that he used his spiritual sway to have sex with girls and young women who were told it would lead to their salvation – or damnation if they refused.

Besides García, one defendant charged in the case was taken into custody in Los Angeles while another was arrested in Chicago, authorities said. Three others were at large.

According to the indictment, two of the defendants and others tried to destroy evidence and prevent victims of the sexual abuse from speaking to law enforcement after García was arrested.

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Isabella Cêpa Wins Landmark Free Speech Case After Brazil Sought 25-Year Sentence for “Misgendering”

Isabella Cêpa, a Brazilian feminist and outspoken women’s rights advocate, has defeated a legal campaign that once threatened her with up to 25 years in prison.

Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court issued a final, non-appealable ruling in her favor, concluding a high-profile case that began with a brief social media video and evolved into one of the most significant free speech battles in Brazil’s modern history.

After years of legal pressure and public silence from Brazilian institutions, Cêpa has not only escaped prosecution but has been granted full refugee protections in Europe.

The move marks the first time a Brazilian citizen has received asylum abroad for being persecuted over gender-critical beliefs. Her case has now become a legal precedent, one that free speech advocates say could help protect others facing similar repression.

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Bluesky Leftists Mock and Celebrate Assassination of Charlie Kirk — ‘Going Directly to Hell’

Sicko leftists are celebrating and mocking the assassination of Charlie Kirk.

Kirk, who was perhaps the most influential conservative activist in modern America, was shot dead while giving a speech at Utah State University on Wednesday afternoon.

While politicians on both sides of the aisle have expressed their sympathy at his death, many grassroots activists are actively celebrating.

The worst reactions were found on BlueSky, the platform of choice for the far-left following Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter/X.

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Cybersecurity Experts Warn EU Against Chat Control 2.0 Regulation Ahead of Key Votes

A group of more than 500 experts in cybersecurity, cryptography, and computer science from 34 countries has issued a clear warning against the European Union’s proposed Chat Control 2.0 regulation.

In a joint open letter, the signatories describe the plan as “technically infeasible” and caution that it would open the door to “unprecedented capabilities for surveillance, control, and censorship.”

We obtained a copy of the open letter for you here.

Their statement arrives just days ahead of a critical European Council meeting on September 12, with a final vote set for October 14 that will determine whether the regulation moves forward.

The proposed law would compel messaging apps, email platforms, cloud services, and even providers of end-to-end encrypted communication to scan all user content automatically. This would apply to texts, images, and videos, whether or not there is any suspicion of wrongdoing.

According to the researchers, such detection systems cannot coexist with secure communication. “On‑device detection, regardless of its technical implementation, inherently undermines the protections that end‑to‑end encryption is designed to guarantee.”

By forcing companies to monitor encrypted content, the regulation would introduce security weaknesses that could be exploited by malicious actors and hostile governments.

The scientists also emphasize the inaccuracy of the proposed approach. They argue that large-scale scanning systems produce unacceptable error rates and could generate enormous numbers of false reports.

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Manhunt for Charlie Kirk assassin underway in Utah as campus goes on lockdown

Utah authorities have not yet identified a suspect in the shooting of Turning Point USA co-founder Charlie Kirk Wednesday afternoon.

The 31-year-old father of two later died from his injuries.

While a school spokeswoman initially said campus police had a suspect in custody, she later indicated he wasn’t the gunman.

The school had more than 46,000 students as of last fall. Campus authorities are urging anyone still on school grounds to call them to be escorted to safety. 

“To the best of my knowledge, that individual has been released,” Ellen Treanor, the associate vice president of strategic communication management at Utah Valley University, told Fox News Digital. “Our campus police are currently investigating in conjunction with the Orem police.”

Orem authorities declined to confirm an active manhunt for the gunman but told Fox News Digital a shelter-in-place order was in effect. 

A single gunshot rang out around 12:20 p.m. local time, she said, about 20 minutes into a speech from Kirk on campus.

Graphic video shows he was struck before panic ripples through the large crowd in attendance, with people screaming and running for cover. 
An event organizer told Fox News Digital that 1,400 people RVSP’ed for the event. The organizer said that many people came from out of the state to see Kirk speak.

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We Paid Some Etsy Witches to Curse Charlie Kirk

The internet has ruined me in a thousand ways, but one of its strangest gifts is that I can now buy a curse as easily as I can buy a phone charger. On the mystical website Etsy, you can find a spell for just about anything. Don’t want it to rain on your wedding day? There’s a spell for that. Want the man who cheated on you to develop an incurable rash? Or premature balding? The Etsy coven has you covered.

But the internet has its downsides. Exhibit A: Charlie Kirk. Maybe it’s his obsession with telling women what to do or his aggressively large head, but the far-right podcaster’s presence is more irritating than most. That’s when I remembered: there’s Etsy.

These days, witches cater to more than just personal grudges. And it’s not uncommon for them to channel their energy toward thwarting Republicans (there’s even a subreddit devoted to casting nightly hexes on Trump). Are you interested in punishing Kirk for the years of regressive rhetoric he’s shouted at America’s youth and anyone within earshot? Here at Jezebel, we’re about to find out if there’s a spell for that.

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Charlie Kirk Dead at 31 After Utah Shooting, Officials Confirm

Charlie Kirk, the 31-year-old founder of Turning Point USA, has died after being shot during a speaking event at Utah Valley University on Wednesday, according to three officials who confirmed his passing.

The university confirmed in an emergency alert that “a single shot was fired on campus toward a visiting speaker. Police are investigating now, suspect in custody.” An earlier statement from UVU said the shot appeared to have come from the top of the Losee Center.

Video footage showed Kirk speaking under a tent before being violently thrown from his stool. Witnesses reported he was struck near the neck.

Deseret News reported that bystanders saw the gunshot hit Kirk during a Q&A with students, a detail also confirmed by Newsweek. Fox News initially reported Kirk had been hospitalized.

Former Utah Rep. Jason Chaffetz, present at the event, said he heard a single shot just after a question was posed to Kirk. “As soon as I saw Charlie go back, you realize that it was a shot,” he told Fox News.

A suspect is in custody, though authorities have not released their identity or motive.

President Donald Trump responded on Truth Social, writing: “We must all pray for Charlie Kirk, who has been shot. A great guy from top to bottom. GOD BLESS HIM!” Conservative commentator Benny Johnson also called for prayers in an X post.

Vice President JD Vance wrote: “Dear God, protect Charlie in his darkest hour.” Leaders across the political spectrum condemned the attack, including California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, and former Vice President Kamala Harris. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu added, “Praying for @charliekirk11.”

Videos verified by the Associated Press showed Kirk clutching his neck as blood streamed heavily, while attendees screamed and fled. The shooting took place in UVU’s Sorensen Center courtyard.

Kirk, who co-founded Turning Point USA in 2012, rose to national prominence as one of the most visible conservative activists of his generation and a close ally of President Trump.

Classes at Utah Valley University have been canceled until further notice as the investigation continues.

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In Police Youth Program, Abuse Often Starts When Officers Are Alone With Teens in Cars

In May, prosecutors in Seattle charged a sheriff’s deputy with raping a 17-year-old girl. The deputy met the teenager while he was an adviser in his department’s youth mentorship program known as Explorers.

The victim, now 24, came forward in May to report the abuse, which she alleges took place in 2017 and 2018. The assaults allegedly began after King County Sheriff’s Deputy Ricardo Arturo Cueva told her she was cute and that he liked her while they were alone on a ride-along in his police SUV. Cueva — who is 15 years her senior — later kissed the teenager while they were on a separate ride-along at night. Prosecutors contend that Cueva’s abuse escalated, according to court records, to include sexual assaults in his sheriff’s vehicle and his home. The age of consent in Washington state is typically 16, but rises to 18 if the other person is in a position of authority.

This story was published in partnership with The Guardian.

Law enforcement departments across the country have Explorer programs — overseen by Scouting America, formerly known as Boy Scouts of America — and they have a history of sexual abuse and misconduct, as The Marshall Project reported last year. Ride-alongs, in which young people accompany officers on their patrol shifts, are a key perk of the Explorers program.

They are also a gateway to abuse.

The Marshall Project examined hundreds of abuse allegations in law enforcement Explorer programs and found that about a quarter of them involved officers on ride-alongs with teens — some as young as 14 years old.

“Mr. Cueva staunchly maintains his innocence, and we intend to thoroughly investigate his case and defend him vigorously,” Cueva’s attorneys, Amy Muth and Jennifer Atwood, wrote in a statement. Cueva pleaded not guilty to the charges.

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