A suspect arrested in the shooting of Charlie Kirk | Morning Bulletin 13 September

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Source: SBS News

In this bulletin, A suspect arrested in the shooting of Charlie Kirk as local supporters hold a vigil; Australia's Muslim community welcomes a report into Islamophobia; and in sport, Australian basketball star Tiana Mangakahia dies of cancer at the age of 30.


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TRANSCRIPT

A suspect has been arrested over the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

He has been identified as 22 year old Tyler Robinson, a resident of St George, Utah, and a registered voter who is not affiliated with either major party.

Utah Governor Spencer Cox says he has been booked into jail and is facing charges of capital murder, felony discharge of a firearm, and obstruction of justice.

"We got him. On the evening of September 11, a family member of Tyler Robinson reached out to the family friend who contacted the Washington Country Sheriff's office with information that Robinson had confessed to them or implied that he had committed the incident. This information was relayed to Utah County Sheriff's office and Senior Investigators at Utah Valley University. This information was also relayed to the FBI."



Local supporters of Charlie Kirk have held a vigil for the conservative activist in Sydney.

Hundreds of people wearing red caps and draped in Australian flags have gathered in the city centre, for the memorial organised by the Australian branch of Turning Point, the conservative group that Mr Kirk grew with his prolific online presence.

Many of the attendees were observed carrying placards preaching biblical messages while others wore red Make America Great Again caps.

The group's Australian head, Joel Jammal, expressed his patriotism for Australia and called on the crowd to become politically engaged.



Nepal's former chief justice Sushila Karki has become the country's interim Prime Minister - the first female to hold that position.

She will lead a six-month transition to new national elections.

Ms Karki has been sworn in by President Ram Chandra Poudel at the presidential residence in a small ceremony broadcast on state-run television, days after the previous prime minister Khadga Prasad Oli quit amid violent protests that saw the Parliament and the homes of some of the country's top political leaders set on fire.

Supporters in Kathmandu have lit candles to celebrate the appointment, among them Saroj Poudel.

"We are here to witness the history today, deputy citizens winning this game. (cheering* Hip Hip Hooray").



Federal Multicultural Affairs Minister Anne Aly has called the release of a report into Islamaphobia in Australia an historic moment.

The report by special envoy to combat Islamophobia Aftab Malik has outlined a sharp increase in incidents involving prejudice and threats since 2023, with one in three Australians expressing negative views about Muslims.

The report also found that Muslim women and girls accounted for three-quarters of all Islamophobia victims, three-fifths of physical assaults and every target of reported spitting incidents.

Ms Aly says Muslim communities in Australia should not be living in fear.

"What Aftab has done with this report is to give voice, to give voice to Muslim across Australia who have longed endured discrimination, racism and at times, some pretty abhorrent acts of just outright hatred. And often without a form a recourse to pursue on that."



A Muslim community leader has welcomed the report by the Special Envoy to Combat Islamophobia.

Lebanese Muslim Association secretary Gamel Kheir has told SBS Arabic he was among consulted by the Envoy for the report, and is keen for the government to accept and implement the document's 54 recommendations - including Australia's counter-terrorism approach.

"We've been very very strong in our advocating for the fact that the whole concept of definition of terrorism has been unfairly pegged towards the Muslim community selectively only. We've been very much advocating the government and support by the envoy, in the fact that the definition of terrorism needs to be way better defined and less focus on the person's religion, and more focus on the act itself."

Australian National Imams Council senior advisor Bilal Rauf says the report strengthens the case for religious protections, which the council has lobbied for.

The Australian Muslim Advocacy Network was more critical, saying it did not share the government's rationale for establishing the Islamophobia and anti-Semitism envoy roles but has welcomed the recommendations.



Australian basketball star Tiana Mangakahia has died at the age of 30.

The Queenslander's family says the former point guard was surrounded by family and friends when she passed away.

Mangakahia had been diagnosed with breast cancer in 2019, when she was in the middle of a record-breaking US college stint with Syracuse University in New York State.

A contract in the WNBL with the Sydney Flames followed after her experience in the US, before a fresh cancer diagnosis forced her to retire from playing and move into coaching.

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