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Trump shot in right ear at rally, shooter dead
Donald Trump was shot in the right ear during a campaign rally on Saturday, sparking panic in the crowd and spattering the Republican presidential candidate’s blood across his face, before he emerged and pumped his fist in the air appearing to mouth the words “Fight! Fight! Fight!”
The shooter was dead, one rally attendee was killed and two other spectators were injured, the Secret Service said in a statement.
“I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear,” Trump said on his Truth Social platform. “Much bleeding took place.”
As the shots rang out, Trump grabbed his right ear with his right hand, then brought his hand down to look at it before dropping to his knees behind the podium before Secret Service agents swarmed and covered him. He emerged about a minute later, his red “Make America Great Again” hat knocked off and could be heard saying “wait, wait,” before agents ushered him into a waiting vehicle.
The Secret Service and the former president’s campaign said Trump was safe following the shooting in Butler, Pennsylvania, about 30 miles (50 km) north of Pittsburgh.
The shooter’s identity and motive were not immediately clear. Leading Republicans and Democrats quickly condemned the violence.
The shots appeared to come from outside the area secured by the Secret Service, the agency said.
An audience member was also dead, and another person was in critical condition, a Washington Post reporter said on social media, citing the Butler County district attorney.
The shooting occurred less than four months before the Nov. 5 election, when Trump faces an election rematch with Democratic President Joe Biden.
“President Trump thanks law enforcement and first responders for their quick action during this heinous act. He is fine and is being checked out at a local medical facility. More details will follow,” spokesperson Steven Cheung said in a statement.
Trump had just started his speech when gunshots erupted and Trump and other rally attendees hit the deck. Secret Service agents swarmed around him and Trump disappeared behind the podium for about one minute before he was rushed to the waiting vehicle.
Trump and Biden are locked in a close election rematch, with most opinion polls including those by Reuters/Ipsos showing the two evenly matched.
Biden said in a statement: “There’s no place for this kind of violence in America. We must unite as one nation to condemn it.”
Ron Moose, a Trump supporter who was in the crowd, described the chaos: “I heard about four shots and I saw the crowd go down and then Trump ducked also real quick. Then the Secret Service all jumped and protected him as soon as they could. We are talking within a second they were all protecting him.”
Moose said he then saw a man running and being chased by officers in military uniforms. He said he heard additional shots, but was unsure who fired them. He noted that by then snipers had set up on the roof of a warehouse behind the stage.
The BBC interviewed a man who described himself as an eyewitness, saying he saw a man armed with a rifle crawling up a roof near the event. The person, who the BBC did not identify, said he and the people he was with started pointing at the man, trying to alert security.
“I am thinking to myself, why is Trump still speaking. Why have they not pulled him off stage,” said the man, who was wearing a red Trump hat. “Next thing you know, five shots rang out.”
REPUBLICANS, DEMOCRATS DECRY VIOLENCE
Trump is due to receive his party’s formal nomination at the Republican National Convention, which kicks off in Milwaukee on Monday.
“This horrific act of political violence at a peaceful campaign rally has no place in this country and should be unanimously and forcefully condemned,” Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson said on social media.
Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said he was horrified by what happened and was relieved Trump was safe. “Political violence has no place in our country,” he said.
A Secret Service spokesperson said on social media: “The Secret Service has implemented protective measures and the former president is safe … This is now an active Secret Service investigation and further information will be released when available.”
CNN reported that Trump was injured, but gave no other details. It was not clear how or what injuries he may have sustained.
The venue was abandoned with chairs knocked over and yellow police tape around the stage. A helicopter flew above and law enforcement officers walked through the area, the video feed showed. Armed law enforcement officers were also seen on a roof near the stage where Trump was standing.
Biden’s campaign was working to pause its television ads and halting all other outbound communication, a campaign official said on Saturday.
Trump, who served as president from 2017-2021, easily bested his rivals for the Republican nomination early in the campaign and has largely unified around him the party that had briefly wavered in support after his supporters attacked the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, attempting to overturn his 2020 election defeat.
The businessman and former reality television star entered the year facing a raft of legal worries, including four separate criminal prosecutions. He was found guilty in late May of trying to cover up hush money payments to a porn star, but the other three prosecutions he faces — including two for his attempts to overturn his defeat — have been ground to a halt by various factors including a Supreme Court decision early this month that found him to be partly immune to prosecution.
Biden spoke to Trump after rally shooting: White House
US President Joe Biden has spoken to his election rival Donald Trump, a White House official said, after the Republican was injured in an apparent assassination attempt at a campaign event in Pennsylvania.
“This evening, President Biden spoke to former President Trump,” the official said, adding that the US incumbent would receive an updated briefing from law enforcement officials on the incident on Sunday morning.
The 2025 UN Tourism/PATA Forum on Tourism Trends and Outlook, held from September 18-20, concluded in Guilin, China, bringing together leading figures from over 20 countries to address the industry’s most pressing challenges. Jointly hosted by the UN World Tourism Organisation (UN Tourism) and the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), the three-day event centered on building a more resilient, sustainable, and “smart” tourism sector.
- Tourism Governance: Led by UN Tourism, this session featured policy insights and international cooperation models from countries including Slovenia, Indonesia, and Brazil.
- Tourism Resilience in the Asia-Pacific: Organized by PATA, this discussion included practical case studies from Nepal and Spain, providing real-world examples of how destinations are adapting to challenges.
- Tourism Talent Development: Hosted by The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, this pillar focused on cultivating a skilled workforce to meet the evolving demands of the industry.
A dedicated Guilin Session also explored innovations in the meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE) sector, with contributions from Greece, South Korea, and China.
A major highlight of the forum was the global launch of UN Tourism’s latest World Tourism Barometer, which provided updated data on international travel flows and economic impacts. Keynote speeches from industry giants like TUI Group offered a deep dive into European tourism markets, while Alipay’s Fliggy showcased new models in digital tourism. These presentations were followed by panels on the future of smart tourism destinations and new methods for tourism economic measurement.
The forum’s opening ceremony on September 19 featured addresses from Liu Shijun of UN Tourism and the President of PATA, along with local leaders. Their insights, combined with valuable case studies from delegates and experts from countries like the Maldives and institutions such as South Korea’s Youngsan University, laid the groundwork for the “Guilin Solutions”—a set of recommendations designed to advance sustainable and intelligent tourism worldwide.
Beyond the formal sessions, delegates were given a first-hand look at Guilin’s efforts to become a world-class tourism destination. Visits to local cultural and tourism landmarks demonstrated how the city is integrating culture, technology, and sustainability into its tourism strategy. The forum not only reinforced Guilin’s position as a hub for international dialogue but also offered concrete steps for building a more resilient and innovative global tourism industry.
US President Joe Biden has expressed his nation’s full backing for Bangladesh and the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus during a bilateral meeting held on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York. This marks the first time in Bangladesh’s history that a US president has met with the country’s head of government at a UNGA session, as confirmed by a statement from the Chief Adviser’s Office.
In this unprecedented encounter, Chief Adviser Prof Yunus briefed President Biden on the significant sacrifices made by students who fought against the previous government, leading to the opportunity to rebuild the country. Prof Yunus underscored the importance of succeeding in this national rebuilding effort, calling for US cooperation in the process.
President Biden praised the students’ dedication, stating that their sacrifice calls for further commitment from all, including the US. During the meeting, Prof Yunus presented Biden with a copy of The Art of Triumph, a book featuring wall paintings by students and young revolutionaries.
Prof Yunus, on his first visit to the US as head of Bangladesh’s government, is attending the 79th UNGA, which runs from September 19 to 30. The theme of this year’s debate is “Leaving no one behind: acting together for the advancement of peace, sustainable development, and human dignity for present and future generations.”
Rare Diplomatic Meeting Signals Strengthened US-Bangladesh Ties
Speaking on the significance of the meeting, Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam highlighted the rarity of such an engagement, noting that the US and Bangladesh already enjoy strong relations. “This meeting elevates our relationship to a new level,” Alam stated, as reported by local media.
Observers suggest that the bilateral meeting, which is uncommon for US presidents during the UNGA, signals Washington’s intention to support Bangladesh through its transitional period. Dhaka is hopeful that the encounter will lead to a new strategic partnership that enhances cooperation on multiple fronts.
Yunus Receives Warm Reception from Global Leaders
Earlier in the day, Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus was welcomed by several world leaders at a reception hosted by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Held at the North Delegate Lounge in the UN headquarters, the event served to greet the leaders participating in the 79th session of the UNGA.
During the reception, Yunus exchanged greetings with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Mauritian President Prithvirajsingh Roopun, and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk, among others.
Yunus Meets Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau
On the sidelines of the UNGA, Chief Adviser Yunus also met with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The two leaders discussed ways to enhance Bangladesh-Canada relations, focusing on fostering freedom, institution-building, and youth development in Bangladesh.
Prime Minister Trudeau commended Prof Yunus for taking on the leadership role and reiterated Canada’s willingness to support Bangladesh in strengthening its institutions. Prof Yunus, in turn, praised Canada for its enduring friendship and requested increased visa allocations for Bangladeshi students.
The chief adviser also gifted Trudeau The Art of Triumph, further highlighting the contributions of young revolutionaries. In addition to Trudeau, Yunus is scheduled to meet with the managing director of the IMF, the Italian prime minister, and will speak at the Clinton Global Initiative and Friends of Bangladesh events.
Environmental and rights groups urged the European Union Tuesday to label Malaysia’s Sarawak region “high risk” under controversial new anti-deforestation rules to be implemented from the end of December.
The EU’s deforestation regulation (EUDR) is due to come into force at the end of the year, although Germany and Brazil have recently joined a string of countries urging that implementation be delayed.
Environmentalists and rights groups have, however, called on the EU to move forward with the regulation.
It will bar imports of a vast range of goods — from coffee to cocoa, soy, timber, palm oil, cattle, printing paper and rubber — if they are produced on land that was deforested after December 2020.
It also requires exporters to assess the risk of rights violations associated with production of the commodity.
In a joint statement, a group of Malaysian and international organisations said Sarawak in Malaysian Borneo should be considered “high risk” under the new rules.
Such a designation would mean closer scrutiny of timber and palm oil imported from the region — an unwelcome prospect for Malaysia, which is already pushing back against EUDR.
The NGOs argue Sarawak’s government plans to convert hundreds of thousands of hectares of natural forest to timber plantations, and is granting companies operating leases in areas that have not been surveyed for protection purposes.
Earlier this year RimbaWatch, one of the signatory groups, warned that around 15 percent of Malaysia’s natural forest is at risk because of concessions granted to companies.
Tuesday’s statement also alleges routine violations of Indigenous land rights, including limits on the amount of land that can be legally recognised, and the unilateral revocation of existing land titles.
“Logging companies are still bulldozing Indigenous peoples’ forests in Sarawak without consultation or consent from communities, which should translate into a ‘high risk’ classification,” said Celine Lim, managing director of SAVE Rivers, an Indigenous organisation from Sarawak.
– Vocal opponents –
Sarawak’s forestry department, and Malaysia’s plantation and commodities ministry did not respond to AFP’s request for comment on the claims.
Malaysia and Indonesia have been among the most vocal opponents of EUDR, arguing domestic anti-deforestation standards should be sufficient, and warning the rules will disproportionately harm smallholder producers who cannot meet onerous documentation requirements.
Environmental and rights groups have pushed back against these claims, including at talks in Brussels earlier this month between EU, Indonesian and Malaysian officials.
“Calls from EU governments to delay enforcement of the law are a deplorable abdication of leadership in the face of a climate emergency,” said Luciana Tellez Chavez, senior
environment and human rights researcher at Human Rights Watch.
