U.S. President Donald Trump says :”My administration will find each and every one of those who contributed to the assassination of Charlie Kirk, and to other political violence, including the organizations that fund it and support it.”

Trump said on a video posted to his Truth Social website hours after Kirk’s murder, hailing Kirk as a “martyr for truth,described the atrocity as a “Dark moment for America.”

Other world leaders strongly condemned the politically-motivated murder of right-wing activist and Trump ally Charlie Kirk.

Kirk, a powerful voice in conservative politics at just 31 years old, was shot dead during an event at Utah Valley University in Utah, Wednesday.

Here’s how world leaders reacted to his death:

“No justification’ – Canada

“I am appalled by the murder of Charlie Kirk. There is no justification for political violence and every act of it threatens democracy,” Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said on X.

‘Must be free to debate’ – Britain

“We must all be free to debate openly and freely without fear — there can be no justification for political violence,” British Prime Minister Keir Starmer wrote on X.

‘Deep wound for democracy’ – Italy

An atrocious murder, a deep wound for democracy and for those who believe in freedom. My condolences to his family, to his loved ones, and to the American conservative community,” Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on X.‘

Murdered for speaking truth’ – Israel

“Charlie Kirk was murdered for speaking truth and defending freedom. A lion-hearted friend of Israel, he fought the lies and stood tall for Judeo-Christian civilization,” wrote Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on X.

“I spoke to him only two weeks ago and invited him to Israel. Sadly, that visit will not take place.”

President Emmanuel Macron has named close ally Sébastien Lecornu as new French prime minister.

This was 24 hours after a vote of confidence ousted François Bayrou as head of his government.

Lecornu, 39, was among the favourites to take over the job, and has spent the past three years as armed forces minister, with a focus on France’s response to Russia’s war in Ukraine.

In a statement the Elysée Palace said he had been given the task of consulting political parties with the aim of adopting France’s next budget.

Bayrou had visited the president hours earlier to hand in his resignation, paving the way for Lecornu to become the fifth prime minister of Macron’s second term as president.

Lecornu will face the same challenges as his predecessor, including getting a cost-cutting budget past parliament without a majority.

France has a spiralling public debt, which hit €3.3tn (£2.8tn) earlier this year and represents 114% of the country’s economic output or GDP.

Bayrou had proposed €44bn in budget cuts, and his decision to put his plans to a vote of confidence was always going to fail.

In the end France’s National Assembly decided to oust his government by 364 votes to 194.

Lecornu’s appointment has already been condemned by parties on both the left and right, an indication of the difficulties he will face.

(BBC News)

Israel has carried out a targeted strike against senior Hamas leaders in the Qatari capital of Doha on Tuesday, marking a dramatic escalation in regional tensions and the first known Israeli military action on Qatari soil.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed the operation in a statement posted on X, stating it had “conducted a precise strike targeting the senior leadership of the Hamas terrorist organization.” While the post did not explicitly name Doha, a senior Israeli official confirmed the location of the strike.

Footage circulating on social media showed smoke rising above parts of Doha, with multiple explosions reportedly heard in the city. The Qatari Foreign Ministry swiftly condemned the strike, describing it as a “cowardly Israeli attack” that targeted residential buildings housing members of Hamas’s political bureau. Officials called it “a blatant violation of all international laws and norms.”

A second Israeli official said the strike had been coordinated with the United States. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office insisted the attack was entirely an Israeli initiative, stating on X: “Israel initiated it, Israel conducted it, and Israel takes full responsibility.”

Hamas leaders have long operated out of Qatar, which has also served as a key mediator in negotiations between Israel and Hamas, particularly over efforts to end the war in Gaza and secure the release of Israeli hostages taken during the October 7, 2023 attacks.

The IDF emphasized that it used “precise munitions and additional intelligence” to minimize civilian casualties during the operation.

The U.S. Embassy in Doha issued a security alert following reports of missile strikes in the city, urging American citizens to shelter in place and monitor official channels for updates.

The unprecedented Israeli strike inside the Gulf state represents a significant shift in the dynamics of the ongoing conflict and threatens to further destabilize an already volatile Middle East.